Peru, Russia, Vietnam accepted into APEC
Peru, Russia, Vietnam accepted into APEC
By Meidyatama Suryodiningrat
VANCOUVER, Canada (JP): Peru, Russia and Vietnam were accepted
Tuesday as new members of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC), the last economies to join before the forum slaps a 10-
year moratorium on membership.
"We welcome Peru, Russia and Vietnam as new members of APEC
community effective in 1998," Canadian Prime Minister Jean
Chretien said.
Chretien made his announcement after chairing the APEC
Economic Leaders Meeting at the Museum of Anthropology at the
University of British Columbia.
He said that after the three new members were admitted the
doors would be closed for the next decade.
"We have agreed on a 10-year period of consolidation,
following which membership issues will be considered further,"
Chretien said.
Peru, Russia and Vietnam were chosen over other applicants
Colombia, Ecuador, India, Macau, Mongolia, Pakistan, Panama and
Sri Lanka.
APEC groups Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong
Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New
Guinea, the Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand
and the United States.
During last year's meeting in Manila, the forum agreed to a
three-step process which in effect suspended new membership for
three years.
Under the arrangement the forum was this year to establish the
criteria for which applicants would be judged.
The announcement of new members was not due to be made until
the next APEC meeting in Malaysia in 1998. Those selected were
then to be formally admitted in 1999.
But during this year's meetings many members pushed to have
the three-year membership process expedited.
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members who are
also part of APEC -- Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Singapore and Thailand -- are known to be supportive
of fellow ASEAN member Vietnam.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas said Indonesia had
lobbied to accelerate the admission of new members.
Among the criteria for membership are: geographic location in
the Asia Pacific region, an applicant's economic activity with
other APEC members and a commitment to adhere to all APEC's
decisions.
The final membership decision was taken directly by the
leaders as ministers during earlier meetings could not reach a
consensus.
When asked why only three were accepted, Chretien simply
replied "21 is enough for the moment".
The haste of the decision was reflected in the fact that
acceptance of the new members was not cited in the Leaders
Declaration.
Philippine President Fidel Ramos said 21 members was an
"optimum" for the forum.
"It was unanimously agreed that beyond 21 might make APEC a
little unwieldy," Ramos said.
Observers have warned that too many members could weaken the
forum's consensus-based decision making process.
Fred C. Bergsten, a member of the now dissolved APEC Eminent
Persons Group, questioned the decision to add new members.
"I think it's unfortunate that they took that decision," he
told The Jakarta Post.
Bergsten said APEC had taken on new areas of cooperation and
this in itself would be difficult, let alone with three new
members.