Former minister criticized protectionism in rich nations

Former minister criticized protectionism in rich nations

JAKARTA (JP): A former minister has criticized industrial
countries for trying to protect their domestic industries through
pretexts of linking trade with human rights issues.

Emil Salim, an economist who is a former state minister of
population and environmental affairs, said in a one-day seminar
on Saturday that Indonesia does not oppose industrial countries'
demands for improvement in the protection of human rights in
Indonesia "but we disagree on their political moves of linking
trade with human rights matters."

"We cannot tolerate their ways in trade negotiations with us,"
Emil said.

He cited an example on how the United States linked labor
rights in its recent trade negotiations with Indonesia recently.

The United States administration has given Indonesia until
August to improve workers' rights before deciding whether to
revoke GSP (Generalized System of Preferences) trade privileges
on Indonesia's exports, he said.

Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN), of which Indonesia is a member, said in their
annual meeting in Bangkok Saturday that links between trade
concessions and labor rights will stifle world trade and restrict
employment in developing nations.

The inclusion of so-called social clauses in the agenda of the
World Trade Organization will result in more protectionism, they
said.

Emil said on Saturday that industrial countries' trade-related
policies should be consistent with the new principles of the
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which demand free
trade and revocation of non-tariff barriers.

Issues related to workers' rights can be discussed at the
forums of international organizations dealing with social
matters, such as the International Labor Organization (ILO).(02)