2ND LD: APEC ministers talk support for WTO, bird flu measures

Asian Economic News, Nov 21, 2005

BUSAN, South Korea, Nov. 15 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING WITH AFTERNOON SESSION, OTHER INFO)

Foreign and trade ministers from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum gathered on the first day of their annual two-day meeting Tuesday in Busan, South Korea, for intensive discussions on how to salvage World Trade Organization trade liberalization talks.

In addition to economic issues, the ministers agreed that the threat of an avian influenza pandemic is a pressing issue for the region, vowing to step up joint efforts to curb the spread of bird flu by exchanging information and developing vaccines and not to repeat mistakes in the SARS epidemic two years ago, according to Japanese and South Korean officials.

The 21 APEC members also agreed on the need for more global counter-terrorism measures, vowing to launch initiatives at the APEC level to control the export-import of radioactive sources and portable air defense systems, as well as strengthen customs controls, the officials said.

WTO Director General Pascal Lamy, whom this year's APEC host South Korea invited to the talks, stressed that it is necessary to resolve stumbling blocks in key elements and urged member economies to make concessions to move the talks forward, rather than sticking to their positions, Japanese officials said.

Pacific Rim economies are trying to issue a strong message to keep the WTO ministerial talks in Hong Kong next month from collapsing. South Korean Trade Minister Kim Hyun Chong, co-chair of the APEC ministerial meeting, brought together trade ministers at a breakfast session Tuesday in an effort to produce the statement, they said.

South Korean Ambassador to APEC Kim Jong Hoon told a press briefing in the afternoon that intense talks were conducted on finalizing a special statement on support for the WTO to be endorsed at the APEC leaders' forum later in the week and that it would contain an ''expression of political will'' to achieve success in Hong Kong.

''I expect the statement would manifest a strong political leadership and determination'' to make the Dec. 13-18 Hong Kong meeting reach an accord, said Kim, who chaired the preparatory senior APEC officials' meeting last weekend.

Ministers agreed that they themselves should be engaged in WTO negotiations, instead of delegating their responsibilities to bureaucrats, the Japanese officials said.

Several economies voiced displeasure with a European Union proposal to improve its agricultural market access. Lamy told the ministers they should think about what to do next to break the deadlock, rather than merely calling the EU plan insufficient, the officials said.

Lamy declined to comment on the outlook for the WTO negotiations after the morning session.

He said last week in Geneva that he had given up on the goal of achieving a detailed market-opening accord with numerical targets at the Hong Kong meeting after key WTO players failed to narrow their differences in a series of ministerial talks.

Gaps between industrialized and developing countries as well as food exporters and importers, mostly in agricultural trade liberalization talks, have stalled the WTO negotiations.

Success in Hong Kong is believed to be indispensable for meeting the deadline for concluding the current Doha Round of WTO trade talks, set for the end of 2006. The round was launched in 2001 in the Qatari capital.

During the morning session, APEC ministers endorsed a report on the midterm review of the nonbinding Bogor Goals. Under them, rich countries aim to achieve free and open trade and investment by 2010 and poorer economies by 2020. The document calls for implementing domestic measures such as structural reforms, in addition to efforts to remove cross-border trade barriers, to realize freer trade.

Regarding bird flu, the APEC members agreed to adopt an initiative to reduce the danger of the virus, which has killed 64 people in the region since December 2003, South Korean officials said.

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso stressed the need to increase surveillance and promote capacity building in developing countries to establish early detection systems and said Japan will assist by sending research teams, providing vaccinations to doctors and nurses, and supplying medical equipment through financial aid, Japanese officials said.

On energy issues, Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshihiro Nikai told reporters that he introduced Japan's past efforts to conserve energy and develop new energy sources such as wind power at the meeting. ''I told other members that we shouldn't immediately turn to oil and should find new frontiers,'' the minister said.

Touching on prevention of natural disasters, Japan offered to continue its contributions in assisting other countries with capacity building given its experience in earthquakes, tsunamis, typhoons and other disasters, the officials said.

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