RI can meet APEC goals on free trade: Minister

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia will have no problem meeting the trade liberalization goals of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, a senior minister said yesterday.

Coordinating Minister for Production and Distribution Hartarto said that, except in the service sector, the Indonesian economy's liberalization process was in line with the 18-member economic grouping's free-trade goals.

"We therefore have no problem in meeting APEC's liberalization moves," he said after meeting President Soeharto.

Hartarto said the government's series of deregulatory measures had significantly reduced tariffs and removed non-tariff barriers in almost all economic sectors.

Indonesia, as a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), is also committed to cutting tariffs on manufacturing and processed agricultural products to between 0 percent and 5 percent by 2003 to meet the region's free-trade liberalization schedule.

But he did not say what "action plans" Indonesia would propose at the APEC leaders meeting in Manila next week.

Last year's APEC leaders summit in Osaka, Japan, adopted an action plan to free trade and investment by 2010 for industrialized nations and 2020 for developing economies within the grouping.

APEC members are expected to submit their individual action plans on the Osaka summit's liberalization goals at the Manila meeting, to be held at the northern Philippine port of Subic on Nov. 25.

Hartarto said senior officials meetings would be held on Nov. 20 and Nov. 21 to discuss the country's individual action plans.

He said the summit would be followed by a ministerial conference, from Nov. 22 to Nov. 23, to hammer out the recommendations of senior officials.

APEC includes Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States.

The forum, according to a draft document obtained by AFP in Manila yesterday, aims to cut to a maximum 15 percent by 2000.

The draft document briefly highlights proposed commitments to free trade among the 18 APEC members, which are to hold a Nov. 25 APEC summit in the Philippine port of Subic Bay.

It said APEC members would collectively commit themselves to "progressively reduce and eliminate export subsidies, and unjustifiable export prohibitions and restrictions."

This would include "an endeavor to refrain from taking any such new measures," the draft document said, adding that the process would begin next year.

The draft document, which highlights parts of the outline Manila Action Plan, said China would reduce average import tariffs from the current 23 percent to 15 percent. (hen)