Indonesia needs more trade lawyers

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia needs more legal experts specializing in international trade who can deal with any potential legal problems in implementing the new General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), noted economist Mari Pangestu says.

"Few Indonesians understand GATT," Mari told journalists when responding to a question on what the country should do in preparation for the full implementation of GATT.

The agreement, calling for a comprehensive global trade liberalization, was signed by more than 120 countries and contributes to 90 percent of the world's trade values.

According to Mari, the new GATT is turning international trade into a completely new ball game and this could have legal repercussions on individual countries, including Indonesia.

"That's why we need people to especially master the GATT since it has various and complicated subjects," she said.

The United States already has law offices with their own special lawyers on GATT affairs. "While here in Indonesia, their number might be very limited, or probably there are no such lawyers," Mari said.

Mari also said that the legal experts on GATT could be used to lobby in international trade transactions.

They would also play an important role for businesses in the domestic industry who wish to export their products, she added. (05)