APEC not forum to achieve unilateral benefits
APEC not forum to achieve unilateral benefits
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia does not want the Asia Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) to become a forum through which
certain countries can fulfill their ambitions of obtaining
unilateral benefits after failing to achieve this at the recently
concluded Uruguay Round of trade negotiations.
Minister of Trade Satrio B. Joedono told reporters after
meeting with President Soeharto here yesterday said that APEC, on
the contrary, should be a forum where countries with advanced
economies and those with developing economies can cooperate to
improve their overall economic well being.
Joedono was commenting on the new problems which he said had
emerged following the signing of the Final Act of the general
Agreement of Tariffs and Trade in Marrakesh, Morocco.
He said the problems -- which he referred to as "new forms of
protectionist measures" -- were mainly caused by the intention of
several industrialized countries to include non-trade issues in
the global trade rules.
"Cooperation will encourage developing economies to grow
faster and will narrow the widening gap between the rich and poor
countries. This will promote keener competitiveness," he said.
Joedono, who was accompanied by Coordinating Minister for
Industry and Trade Hartarto and Minister/State Secretary
Moerdiono, pointed out that before such a state of equilibrium
could be achieved, there would be no use talking about free trade
in the region, since that would only encourage unbalanced trade.
"APEC should not immediately be turned into a free-trade zone
because a certain period for cooperation is required to gradually
develop the member countries before they finally reach a high
level of competitiveness, allowing free trade to proceed," he
said.
Commenting on the Marrakesh meeting, which he attended,
Joedono explained that Indonesia has five years -- or until 1997
-- to adjust its regulations that require foreign investors to
utilize local products.
"Indonesia and several other countries have yet to remove
their regulations which are not in line with the new GATT rules,"
he said.
Rights
In the implementation of international intellectual property
rights -- concerning copyrights, patents, trademarks, design
rights and the right of trade secrecy -- Joedono said it was
agreed that all signatories would adjust their respective
regulations to the international norms.
"For the protection of copyrights, countries must abide by the
Bern Convention, for industrial design patents the Paris
Convention and for the integrated circuits patent the Washington
Treaty," he said.
Indonesia's copyright and trademark regulations have caused
disputes with leading international brand producers because
Indonesia recognizes the first company to register a particular
trademark at the Indonesian trademark office as holding the
rights to the brand in Indonesia. (10)