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).