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.