APEC meeting not the place to discuss human rights: Barry
APEC meeting not the place to discuss human rights: Barry
JAKARTA (JP): The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
forum must maintain its function as an economic-oriented body and
avoid being saturated with issues, such as labor and human
rights, United States Ambassador to Jakarta, Robert L. Barry,
said yesterday.
During a luncheon held by the International Forum Indonesian
here yesterday, the ambassador asserted that APEC would not delve
into issues which strayed from economic development.
"There's no need to take all these issues into an area which
makes the forum that's been developed less useful for the primary
purpose that it is designed for," said Barry.
APEC comprises Australia, Brunei, Canada, China, Hong Kong,
Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New
Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand
and the United States.
Next week, Indonesia will host a series of high level meetings
starting with an APEC Ministerial Meeting here on Nov. 11 and
Nov.12 and an economic leaders meeting at the Bogor Presidential
Palace, some 60 kilometers south of Jakarta, on Nov. 15.
Ambassador Barry's comments yesterday were attributed to the
recent pressure from various non-governmental organizations (NGO)
demanding that Jakarta's alleged abuses of human rights and
neglect of workers' rights become a focus of the leaders meeting.
Groups such as Amnesty International launched an aggressive
campaign last month, when they met with a number of APEC leaders,
such as Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama, in a bid to
highlight such issues.
Their efforts have by far gone unheeded, with APEC leaders
refusing to let rights issues stain the discussion on trade
liberalization among forum members.
"We don't think it ought to evolve into a forum of discussing
human rights," Barry said, while insisting that human rights
belongs to a different forum.
He noted that the most appropriate channel of dealing with
such issues was either bilaterally or through United Nations
agencies.
Prospects
Speaking on the prospects of the coming meetings, Barry
expressed faith in the leaders meeting in Bogor.
"I wish to underline the fact that there is no difference
along developed and developing country lines about where APEC
ought to be headed," he said.
Two separate groups of the forum, the Eminent Persons Group
and the Pacific Business Forum, recently handed in their reports
calling for the adoption of a timetable for trade liberalization
by 2010 and 2020 respectively.
It was also reported that as host, Indonesia will put forth a
proposal calling for the adoption of a deadline for free trade in
the upcoming meeting.
There is no difference in substance between Indonesia and the
United States about where Indonesia is taking APEC under its
chairmanship, Barry noted.
On the same occasion, Prof. Bintoro Tjokroamidjojo, special
assistant on APEC affairs to President Soeharto, refused to
confirm reports on Indonesia's proposal for a 2020 timetable for
free trade in the region.
"Wait until November 15 ..," Bintoro said as he scurried off
into his chauffeured car. (mds)