ASEAN supports Vietnam for APEC

ASEAN supports Vietnam for APEC

JAKARTA (JP): ASEAN states are giving fellow member Vietnam an
approving nod in its bid to win support to join the Asia Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

Delegates at the opening day of a two-day senior officials
meeting yesterday said that member states of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have generally given their
support to Vietnam's intention to join APEC.

Indonesia's Director General for ASEAN Rahardjo Djamtomo told
journalists that the inclination towards support is evident.

He said that the move was a "show of support" for a fellow
member.

Nevertheless, Djamtomo would not say whether ASEAN would issue
a statement to proclaim its support or if it would be contained
in the joint communique issued during Saturday's ASEAN
Ministerial Meeting.

Six of ASEAN's seven members -- Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia,
the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand -- are already members of
APEC. Besides the six countries, APEC also groups 12 other
Pacific rim countries -- including China, Japan, South Korea and
the United States -- with the aim of creating a comprehensive
trade liberalization regime in the Asia Pacific region by 2020.

The top Vietnamese delegate at the senior officials meeting,
Vu Khoan, also expressed confidence that all ASEAN countries
would support Vietnam's entry into the forum.

"I'm sure it will be in the joint communique," he said, adding
that Hanoi has already submitted an application for APEC
membership.

Separately, the director general for political affairs at the
Indonesian foreign ministry, Izhar Ibrahim, further confirmed
ASEAN's support.

"As individuals in ASEAN, we have no problem. We support
them," said Izhar, who chaired yesterday's meeting.

Nevertheless, when pressed over whether the support will be
included within the joint communique of the ASEAN ministerial
meeting here at the end of the week, Izhar was more cautious,
saying that "it is being considered".

The official support of ASEAN is expected to go a long way in
easing APEC's self-imposed moratorium on new members. Hanoi's
application is likely to be discussed at the next APEC leaders
meeting in Manila later this year.

Khoan said that the major obstacle facing Vietnam is the fact
that APEC has set up a moratorium against accepting new members.

In the end, he said, "this (the membership), of course,
depends on the decision of APEC, not ASEAN." (mds)