Tunky's mission at the WTO<\/p>\n
These are busy days for Minister of Industry and Trade Tunky
\nAriwibowo. Besides leading the Indonesian delegation to the
\nongoing World Trade Organization (WTO) ministers' meeting, he
\nwill use this opportunity in Singapore to overcome the deadlock
\nhe met in his earlier negotiations with representatives of
\nparties opposing our national car policy.<\/p>\n
In the view of those parties -- Japan, the United States and
\nthe European Union -- Indonesia did not offer any new proposals
\nduring those negotiations. As far as Tunky is concerned, the
\ntalks, which he will hold in between the WTO sessions (Dec. 9 to
\nDec. 13), could be his last effort toward convincing the parties
\nto withdraw their opposition (to the policy). Many observers are
\npessimistic about the outcome, unless Indonesia is willing to
\nmake compensations or be generous enough to modify its policy.<\/p>\n
It seems that many issues will be discussed at the current WTO
\nmeeting, including those of human rights, labor wages, government
\npurchases and investment. Indonesia has already voiced its
\ndisagreement with the draft WTO declaration on the grounds that
\nthose issues are not directly related to international trade.
\nPerhaps our objections are designed to keep open a loophole for
\nsticking to our national car policy, which could be regarded as a
\npart of our national investment policy.<\/p>\n
Actually, we would have preferred that all those efforts which
\nthe government is now making could have been spent in
\nstrengthening our business sector's potentials. Our business
\nsector could do much to assist the government in international
\nlobbies. The effectiveness of our business sector in this respect
\nhas already been proven. The question is whether the government
\nis willing to share this burden and this role.<\/p>\n
-- Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tunkys-mission-at-the-wto-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }