AFTA must include all fisheries

AFTA must include all fisheries

JAKARTA (JP): The ASEAN Fisheries Federation (AFF) yesterday
urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to include all
fish products in its free trade arrangements.

Federation chairman J.A. Sumendap said at the opening of its
seventh two-day council meeting and business conference in
Bangkok yesterday that the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) should
include all fish products as early as possible so entrepreneurs
can trade better.

ASEAN, under the AFTA agreement, is liberalizing trade among
its six members -- Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Singapore and Thailand -- by the year 2003.

"Any further delay would dampen the strong ASEAN spirit
currently prevailing amongst fishery companies," Sumendap told
the meeting, which was opened by Thai Prime Minister Chuan
Leekpai.

"For that purpose, we would like all AFF members to support
the establishment of the ASEAN Fisheries Corporation, which was
planned quite some time ago," Sumendap said in his speech, a copy
of which was made available to The Jakarta Post.

He said that ASEAN governments should also provide financial
assistance for deep-sea fishing businesses.

"Some banks in ASEAN nations are reluctant to provide loans
for deep-sea fishing, as they have classified this as a high risk
venture," he said. "We have insurance companies to cover the
loss, should there be any loss."

He also proposed that ASEAN countries cut red tape at customs
to guarantee a smooth flow of trade.

Delegates from the six member countries and observers from
Vietnam participated in the meeting.(kod)