APEC ministers shy away from deadline plan

APEC ministers shy away from deadline plan

JAKARTA (JP): Ministers of the Sixth Asia Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC) forum expressed their resounding support for
trade liberalization yesterday, but fell short of asserting a
common deadline for the process.

"Liberalization of trade and investment supported by
development cooperation is the effective way to bring about
prosperity in our region," said Indonesia's Coordinating Minister
of Trade and Industry Hartarto, who chairs the conference.

Speaking at the commencement of the APEC Ministerial Meeting
at the Jakarta Convention Center yesterday, Hartarto called on
member economies to work towards a vision through which trade and
investment would flow freely.

"Let us therefore sit together and in an atmosphere of
cordiality and partnership try our best to achieve a unanimous
agreement," he said.

When questioned by journalists later on how much trade can
really be liberalized, Hartarto said only that it is still being
discussed.

APEC comprises Australia, Brunei, 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.

U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher said that for his
country, trade liberalization is more than an economic
imperative; it is a centerpiece of American foreign policy.

"If we take concrete steps to advance that vision in
Indonesia ... we can seize an historic opportunity to lift the
lives and standards of all our peoples," Christopher said.

APEC economic leaders will convene in the Bogor Presidential
Palace on Tuesday with the issue of a trade liberalization
timetable expected to be high on the agenda.

Nevertheless, ministers refused to comment yesterday on
whether they would be endorsing a similar timetable for a joint
ministerial statement to be released later today.

A number of delegates, who refused to named, said that much of
yesterday's discussion on the timetable deadline drew varying
responses from almost all members.

Despite the debates inside the meeting room, U.S. Secretary of
Commerce, Ron Brown, told The Jakarta Post that progress will be
made on this issue.

"I really expect that progress will be made in a progress
towards a free trade area," he said.

Cooperation

China's Vice-Premier Qian Qichen said that apart from the
issue of trade liberalization, it is important for the forum to
enhance cooperation in order to reduce economic gaps among
members.

"APEC's areas of cooperation should be more comprehensive and
extensive," he said

At the meeting, Christopher proposed several ideas, including
the establishment of a permanent Asia Pacific Business Forum with
the aim of improving efficiency and expanding trade in APEC.

He also called on APEC to develop an education foundation to
help reinforce human resources development.

Furthermore he proposed that an APEC transportation ministers
meeting be held to facilitate further economic growth.

Agenda

Hartarto said that the meeting yesterday finalized seven of
its 13 planned agenda items, among others, an ad hoc group on the
Economic Trends and Issues (ETI), trade and investment issues and
human resources development and reports of the Eminent Persons
Group and the Pacific Business Forum.

The significant achievements of the meeting were the
endorsement of the APEC Non-Binding Investment Principles of the
Committee on Trade and Investment (CTI), adoption of the draft
declaration on a human resources developments framework for APEC
and another endorsement of a transformation of an ad hoc group on
economic trends and issues into a committee, he said.

Alatas, who joined Hartarto in the briefing yesterday, said
that with the ad hoc group transformation, APEC has now three
full-fledged committees. The first two are the committee on trade
on trade and investment and the committee on budget and
administration.

The adoption of the draft declaration on human resources has a
special meaning for Indonesia because it was originally proposed
by that country, he said.

Visiting officials told the Post that the meeting spent a lot
of time just to discuss the reports of the Eminent Persons Group
and the Pacific Business Forum.

Today's meeting is expected to finalize seven agenda items,
including the commercial infrastructure, APEC's vision and work
programs, as well as the joint statement of the sixth APEC
ministerial meeting. (pwn/pan/fhp/mds)

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