Clinton lends support to APEC ideals

Clinton lends support to APEC ideals

U.S. President Bill Clinton's arrival in Jakarta yesterday,
accompanied by many of his administration's prominent members,
affirms his wholehearted commitment to the success of the Asia
Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) process.

Fresh from the successes of his peace negotiations in the
Middle East and Haiti, Clinton will be working toward the
objective of securing increased cooperation in all facets of
relationships among the 18 member countries.

Clinton, who hosted the highly successful first APEC leaders
meeting in Seattle, Washington, in November of last year, has
gone on record on numerous occasions to champion the ideals of
APEC. Speaking at the Group of Seven Summit in Tokyo last year,
Clinton stated that APEC was the most promising forum for
achieving a more open regional economy and for encouraging
economic growth and opportunity throughout the region.

Clinton has for many years advocated greater U.S. involvement
in the Asia-Pacific rim on the trade and economic fronts.

"Our first priority in foreign policy measures must be to
stimulate the American economy," Clinton said in a 1992 speech.
"I have formed a strategy to increase the performance of our
people, support productivity, encourage innovation and
investment, lower the national debt and create the strongest
trade nation in the world."

Clinton will also be targeting a more political direction for
the fledgling APEC, according to Sandra Kristoff, Special
Assistant to the U.S. president and Senior Director for Asia and
Pacific Economic Affairs at the National Security Council.

"I think that it is fair to say that there is an emerging
consensus among APEC economies that issues of trade and
investment, facilitation and liberalization need to be moved
center stage in APEC's agenda," Kristoff said in Washington,
D.C., in October of this year.

Clinton will find a welcome ally in President Soeharto, the
host of the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting, who has also voiced
support for freer trade among APEC countries.

This advertising section composed by Bruce Emond from
materials provided by the United States Information Services
(USIS).