Tin body keen for observers to join it<\/p>\n
SINGAPORE (Reuter): The Association of Tin Producing Countries
\n(ATPC) would welcome observers Vietnam and Peru joining the
\norganization following the withdrawal of Thailand and Australia,
\nconference sources said.<\/p>\n
Thailand, which will leave from Oct. 1, and Australia quit the
\nATPC because both are becoming net importers of tin, delegates
\nattending the executive council meeting of the ATPC said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, Malaysia, Bolivia, China and Nigeria remain members
\nof the ATPC. Zaire also belongs, but is plagued by political
\nproblems, produces almost no tin and has stopped attending
\nmeetings. Brazil has observer status.<\/p>\n
ATPC ministers are scheduled to meet today and tomorrow
\ndiscuss the state of the tin market and take up the fate of an
\nexport quota system that has been largely ignored by its own
\nmembers, conference sources said.<\/p>\n
There is a proposal that the suspension of the quota system be
\nextended for another year to see if the current free market
\nsystem benefits the organization, another delegate said.<\/p>\n
"The proposal is on the table. The ministers will make a
\ndecision on this when they meet next week," the delegate said
\nlast week.<\/p>\n
The head of the Brazilian delegation to the ATPC said he
\nexpected the organization to hold together, despite the
\nwithdrawal of Thailand and Australia as members.<\/p>\n
"We expect so (the ATPC to continue). Even if there are only
\nfive countries, they still together account for 85 percent of
\nworld production," Miguel Navarrede-Fernandez, general director
\nof Brazil's Ministry of Mines and Energy, told reporters.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tin-body-keen-for-observers-to-join-it-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}