The 12th Economic Leaders' Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC) forum opened in Santiago Saturday to discuss
security and economic issues in the region.
Under this year's theme of "One Community, Our Future," top
leaders from 21 member economies will mainly discuss APEC's role in
promoting multilateral trade and the institutionalization of free
trade agreements, as well as related security issues during their
two-day gathering.
Chilean President Ricardo Lagos, who presides over the meeting,
greeted the leaders at the gate of the "Espacio Riesco" Convention
Center.
Saturday's meeting began with a private dialogue session called
Retreat, which focused on human security matters, especially the
prevention of infectious diseases such as AIDS, APEC said in a
website press release.
The closed-door session was followed by a dialogue between APEC
economic leaders and the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC),
which urged the leaders to "creatively and vigorously seek an early
conclusion" of the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) talks launched
three years ago in Doha, Qatar.
"There is no other issue with such overarching importance to
business, across the APEC region or globally," ABAC Chair Hernan
Somerville was quoted by an ABAC press release as saying.
The ABAC said in a previously submitted annual recommendation
report that they believe a rapid and successful conclusion of the
DDA talks is the top priority for the regional economy.
The DDA talks to create a binding trade treaty for the
147-member WTO faltered last year amid bickering over agricultural
subsidies. But they gained ground this year after negotiators
reached a deal on a framework that could lead to a deal.
The ABAC also urged leaders to take effective measures to fight
corruption and to reinvigorate APEC's liberalization and
facilitation agenda.
President Lagos expressed interests in ABAC's proposals, saying
that they will make an important contribution to the APEC
process.
The ongoing leaders' meeting is the culmination of the week-long
APEC meetings, which also include the senior officials meeting and
the ministerial meeting.
A series of bilateral meetings between the world's key leaders
were also planned on the sidelines of the meeting.
The leaders will start their second-day session on Sunday by
posing for an official photograph in Chile's traditional garments
of "Chamantos."
They will then devote the whole morning to discuss regional
economic matters and issue a declaration after the meeting, said
the APEC press release.
APEC, as the premier forum for facilitating economic growth,
cooperation, trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region, was
set up in 1989 to further enhance economic growth and prosperity in
the region and to strengthen the Asia-Pacific community.
It now groups Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, China's
Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New
Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei,
Thailand, the Philippines, the United States and Vietnam.
(Xinhua News Agency November 21, 2004)