Assistants to APEC Leaders set date for Informal-Summit

NUSA DUA, Bali (JP): The first meeting of the Special Assistants to the Leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group yesterday agreed to a date for the second APEC leadership economic meeting (ALEM).

"The tentative date we have put forward is November 15 in Bogor," said Bintoro Tjokroamidjojo, head of the Executive Agency for APEC and special assistant on APEC affairs to President Soeharto.

Indonesia is now the chairman of APEC, which groups Canada, the United States, Mexico, Taiwan, Japan, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand along with the six-members of the Association of South East Asian Nations -- Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia and Brunei.

Bintoro said that during the meeting, alternative dates were put forth by the other delegates but overall there were no fierce objections to the date Indonesia has set.

"You cannot satisfy all...but most of them support us," he declared.

When asked which countries were displeased, Bintoro refused to comment saying about 80 percent of the members supported the proposed date. "I'm sure the final confirmation will not be long."

Yesterday's one-day meeting at the Pertamina Cottages in Kuta fell on the eve of the second APEC Senior Officials Meeting (SOM), due to begin today.

Over 250 officials from the 17-Apec member countries have convened at the plush Nusa Dua area, located in the Southern tip of Bali, to participate in the SOM.

Speaking further on the selection of the date, Bintoro explained there were several reasons for Indonesia's decision.

Among the most important reasons was the need for a division between the ALEM and the APEC ministerial meeting.

"The ALEM is an informal meeting. It must be completely independent (of the ministerial meeting)," Bintoro remarked.

He further explained that for scheduling purposes, it would be extremely difficult for the organizing committee to have the two events simultaneously.

Though Bintoro would not confirm the date of the ministerial meeting, officials from the Japanese and Indonesian delegations told The Jakarta Post it would be held on Nov. 11-12.

However no official announcement of the date for the ministerial meeting has been released.

Bintoro revealed that Indonesia had deliberated on much later dates than the one finally proposed. He said Nov. 20 and Nov. 24 were originally considered but turned-down because the first fell on Mexico's national day while the latter is the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday.

Bintoro added that during yesterday's meeting, special assistants to heads of government agreed the ALEM in Bogor would follow the same format as the first ALEM meeting on Blake island off Seattle last November.

Speaking to reporters in his suite, he said that Chile, as APEC's newest member, will make its formal participation in the ministerial meeting in November. He also disclosed that the Chilean head of state will take part in the ALEM in Bogor.

SOM

The second SOM, which begins today, will be opened by Wisber Loeis, the director general for foreign economic relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Besides the 17-member countries, observers from the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC), the South Pacific Forum (SPF) and the ASEAN Secretariat will also be attending the three- day meeting.

The main issues to be discussed will be human resources development, small and medium enterprises and private sector participation.

It is also expected that APEC's ad-hoc group on Economic Trends and Issues will be officially transformed into an Economic Committee.

The SOM will also discuss reports on the progress of the various APEC working groups and committees which have held meetings a week in advance.(mds)