APEC leaders hail Osaka pact, praise host
APEC leaders hail Osaka pact, praise host
OSAKA, Japan (JP): Most APEC leaders hailed the Action Agenda on free trade and other agreements reached here yesterday, while praising Japan for the successful outcome of the summit, their third in the last three years.
President Soeharto, according to Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono, was satisfied with the outcome of the meeting.
"With the completion of the agenda in Osaka, the leaders have taken a step forward," Moerdiono said.
Soeharto, whose leadership ensured the endorsement of the Bogor Declaration during APEC's previous meeting in 1994, attributed the success of the Osaka meeting to the personal leadership of Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama.
The head of state was also elated at the "initial plans" presented by each APEC leader at the meeting, Moerdiono said.
"This is an historic step forward in fulfilling the APEC commitment to attain free trade in the Asia-Pacific," U.S. Vice President Al Gore said, describing Murayama's leadership in APEC as "truly exceptional."
"For the American people, this is a truly significant achievement, since our economic growth and prosperity are increasingly linked to this dynamic region," said Gore, who was here to represent President Bill Clinton. "President Clinton and the other leaders in the United States are deeply committed to APEC and the Asia-Pacific region," he added.
Philippine President Fidel Ramos, who will chair the forum and host next year's summit, praised the Action Agenda for putting equal emphasis on trade liberalization and facilitation, as well as economic development cooperation.
"We, the developing countries, are very encouraged by this," Ramos said, adding that in 1996, "we have to chart the way for member economies so that people progress into the 21st century and beyond."
Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien said the initial actions presented a "win-win" situation for his country.
"It's a win-win proposal for Canada," Chretien said. "It was very pleasant to see the leaders of China, Australia, New Zealand, all these countries, read out their voluntary measures on tariffs and non-tariff barriers."
"When you come to think of it, this region was full of protectionist countries. When you see leaders like Indonesian President Soeharto speak energetically about liberalization, you begin to see real enthusiasm in this forum," he said.
Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating said the Osaka declaration was a "high quality piece of policy-making" that did not paper over differences just to get an agreement.
The wording approved by APEC leaders was "almost strange, it is so direct," said Keating.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, described by Reuters as the "reigning skeptic of APEC", reiterated that his country was not bound by the agenda.
"We are not held down to this date, and don't believe we have to abolish tariffs by that date," Mahathir told reporters.
"We should abolish tariffs based on our ability to do so," he said, adding that Malaysia prefers to make its binding commitments on trade to the World Trade Organization, not APEC.
"APEC is not going to set a new paradigm as far as trade is concerned," Mahathir said. "What APEC can do is hasten the process of liberalization.
"APEC can only push countries to accelerate (liberalization) because APEC is not a closed trade bloc."
Host and chairman Murayama underlined that the agenda would not turn APEC into a closed economic bloc that would benefit only its member economies.
"When we think of the economy on a global basis, now is not the time when we should build regional walls around trade and investment," Murayama told a news conference.
Asked if APEC would ask for reciprocity from other regions such as the European Union, Murayama said APEC measures should benefit other economies.
"When trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and economic and technological cooperation are implemented in APEC, we should also bring the benefits to extra-regional members," Murayama said. (emb)