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)