Speeding up AFTA<\/p>\n
Last week the foreign ministers of the seven ASEAN countries
\nmet in a routine annual meeting in Brunei Darussalam. One of the
\neconomic issues that was brought up was a proposal from the host
\ncountry to speed up the establishment of AFTA (ASEAN Free Trade
\nArea) and move it from 2003, as initially planned, to the year
\n2000.<\/p>\n
The various views published in the media indicate that the
\nobjections to the proposal made by the Sultan of Brunei are not
\nstrong enough. The impression is that an earlier establishment of
\nAFTA will benefit us. It would not only provide our national
\nbusiness world with a concrete training ground, it would also
\nprompt us into finishing our homework of resolving the problems
\nthat still encumber our national economy.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, we will be better able to control the different
\nvariables when competing in a limited environment. We would also
\nhave the influence to discuss the relevant matters whenever we
\nfeel that the negative free trade impacts become too heavy for
\nour national economy to bear. Things will be entirely different
\nonce we have to confront the global market, in which there will
\ncertainly be a good deal more players than just the seven member
\ncountries of ASEAN.<\/p>\n
We tend to concur with such a view since we are well aware of
\nthe problems and challenges we are facing. We have an interest in
\nthe immediate elimination of all the obstacles that are in the
\nway of the market mechanism.<\/p>\n
-- Kompas, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/speeding-up-afta-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }