APB-Net calls for results from Osaka meeting

APB-Net calls for results from Osaka meeting

JAKARTA (JP): The Asia Pacific Business Network (APB-Net)
yesterday called on the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
forum in Osaka next month to adopt a comprehensive and concrete
agenda to realize the vision of the Bogor declaration.

APB-Net said in a joint statement after its two-day meeting in
Osaka ended yesterday that the agenda should cover measures in
trade and investment liberalization, business facilitation and
development cooperation over the next 15 to 25 years.

The statement, a copy of which was made available here, stated
that any liberalization programs must accommodate the tremendous
diversity in cultural background and levels of economic
development among the APEC economies.

The Bogor declaration, adopted by the APEC second forum in
Bogor, south of here, last November, requires developed economies
to liberalize themselves by 2010 and developing economies by
2020.

"Industrialized economies of the APEC region must take the
initiative in liberalization by opening up their own markets so
as to encourage other member economies' efforts," the statement
read.

APB-Net consists of chambers of commerce and industries from
18 APEC member economies: Australia, Brunei, Canada, China,
Chile, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Papua New
Guinea, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea,
Taiwan, Thailand and the United States.

The APB-Net's second meeting, which was hosted by the Japanese
Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Japanese Foreign Trade
Council, was attended by 81 business leaders from 18 APEC
economies.

Aburizal Bakrie, chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of
Commerce and Industry, said after attending the meeting that
member economies are encouraged to maintain the principle of
comprehensiveness in their trade and investment liberalization.

"This point is directed at business leaders from all APEC
economies, including from Japan, so that they will not ask for
the exclusion of agricultural products from trade liberalization
in the region," Aburizal said.

In its joint-statement, APB-Net called on governments in all
member economies to take measures to facilitate cross-border
business operations.

"The measures should include heightening transparency in
government regulations, simplifying customs procedures, unifying
tariff codes, easing restrictions on obtaining business visas,
harmonizing standards and certificates guidelines, protecting
intellectual property and establishing a framework for settling
disputes," the statement said.

APB-Net also called on greater cooperation between
private/business sector representatives and government officials
in carrying out development programs.

Recognizing the role of small and medium-scaled enterprises in
economic activities, APB-Net appealed to each APEC member economy
to provide and implement policy guidelines for promoting them.

Touching on environmental measures which are assuming
increasing importance in the region, the network said that intra-
region environmental technology exchange should be promoted among
APEC economies.

The network emphasized the importance of maintaining the
principle of open regionalism within the APEC region, saying that
any liberalization measures in the region should apply
unconditionally and non-discriminately to APEC member economies
as well as non-APEC members.

APB-Net also expressed its support of the Pacific Business
Forum's proposal for a permanent business advisory body to APEC,
APEC Business Council, as a way of transmitting business
interests to the APEC process.

"Participants requested that APB-Net be appropriately
represented on the advisory body if it is created by the APEC
leaders," APB-Net said in its joint statement.

APB-Net is to operate as a network, not an institution, with
an emphasis on individual enterprises as participants and
business associations as facilitators. It deals principally with
the promotion of networking within the business sector.

APB-Net was conceived during the second APEC senior official
meetings in Bali in May last year and was formally launched as a
new organization at the first APB-Net meeting in Jakarta on
August last year.

The organization will conduct its third meeting next year in
the Philippines prior to the APEC ministerial and leaders'
meetings. (rid)