U.S. supports APEC goals

U.S. supports APEC goals

SINGAPORE (Reuter): The United States and the Asia Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum said yesterday that Washington
was firmly committed to APEC's proposed regional free-trade
targets of 2010 and 2020.

The U.S. embassy and the Singapore-based APEC secretariat said
in a joint statement that news reports on Tuesday had
misinterpreted the position of APEC and the U.S. on the issue.

APEC Secretariat Executive Director Shojiro Imanishi had been
quoted as saying "the U.S. has now made a U-turn in implementing
a tariff-free Asia-Pacific region by the year 2020".

The joint statement said: "The United States commitment to
open and free trade investment by 2010/2020 remains firm and has
not changed."

The joint statement did not say Imanishi had been misquoted.
Imanishi was not immediately available for comment.

In the Indonesian city of Bogor last November, leaders of
APEC's 18 members agreed to aim for free trade and investment by
the year 2010 among industrialized members and 2020 for
developing members.