'Shift in focus at APEC understandable'

'Shift in focus at APEC understandable'

Dadan Wijaksana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Analysts cited as "understandable" the shift in focus at the
newly concluded forum of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC) from economic issues to security and terrorism concerns.

"It's been proven that terrorism can cripple the economy of
any country. It has become a global issue. What's important for
Indonesia is how to make the best out of the situation," Sri
Adiningsih told The Jakarta Post.

She was commenting on increasing criticism of the forum, which
paid more attention to security affairs than to the numerous
economic issues needing to be addressed.

The two-day event ended on Tuesday in Bangkok with only one
out of three major points stated on the joint declaration
centered on economic issues and trade.

Pacific Rim leaders, consisting of 21 heads of state and
government, vowed to find a way to reenergize multilateral trade
talks, following the collapse of the recent World Trade
Organization (WTO) meeting in Cancun amid dispute over
agricultural issues between developed and developing nations.

The other two points contain the leaders' pledges to dismantle
terrorist organizations and strive for peace on the Korean
peninsula.

They "committed to take all essential actions to dismantle,
fully and without delay, translational terrorist groups that
threaten the APEC economies", the joint statement said.

When it was established in the early 1990s, the APEC leaders
set the promotion of stronger economic cooperation and free trade
between member countries as the organization's main goals. APEC
aims to launch free trade by 2010 for its developed nations, and
2020 for its developing countries.

The condition has prompted criticism from many over the
relevance of the forum nowadays.

Reuters quoted a number of participants voicing disappointment
over the little progress the forum had made.

"Unless progress is made, people will go around thinking APEC
is just leaders going around in funny shirts once a year ...
traveling in cavalcades in tight security and attending huge
banquets," one businessman was quoted as saying.

However, Sri was of the opinion that despite the lack of major
decisions on economic issues and trade, Indonesia could still
take advantage of the forum by engaging in talks on possible
bilateral commitments with other members.

"This forum should be beneficial for a small and open economy
like Indonesia, which is very dependent on the global economy --
driven mostly by major economies in APEC," she said, adding that
Indonesia could boost exports and investment to and from those
nations only if it had good relations with them.

Researcher Raden Pardede also said the results were not too
bad, as economic issues still managed to take center stage at the
forum, although to a lesser degree than at previous forums.

He further said the decision to stress the importance of
reviving free trade negotiations as stated on the joint statement
was fairly significant progress.

Under the statement, leaders agreed that the Doha round of
talks under the WTO was vital for member nations' prosperity.

They "agreed to work towards the abolition of all forms of
agricultural export subsidies, unjustifiable export prohibitions
and restrictions."