APEC forms council

APEC forms council

TOKYO (AFP): Osaka and vicinity set up a special council
yesterday to provide support for this year's Asia Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum scheduled for November,
officials said.

Osaka Governor Kazuo Nakawawa was appointed chairman of the
council, which is allowed to spend the total budget of 1.8
billion yen (US$19 million) on preparing the APEC ministerial and
summit meetings.

APEC groups Brunei, Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Hong
Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New
Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan,
Thailand and the United States.