Govt to cut import tariffs

Govt to cut import tariffs

JAKARTA (JP): The government will continue to lower import
tariffs and surcharges in line with plans under the ASEAN Free
Trade Agreement (AFTA), Minister of Industry Tunky Ariwibowo
says.

He told reporters after meeting with President Soeharto here
yesterday that all tariffs on imports of raw materials and
components will be lowered across the board to make Indonesia's
products competitive on the world market.

Tunky, who met the President together with Minister of Finance
Mar'ie Muhammad, said the planned reduction of import tariffs is
also to anticipate the trade liberalization in the Asia-Pacific
region.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has decided
to liberalize trade among its six member countries by the year
2003, while the an advisory group of the Asia Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC) has suggested the forum's leaders to adopt
free trade by 2010.

Indonesia is a member of both ASEAN and APEC.(rid)