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APEC leaders want to revive world trade talks
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-11-22 09:33
Asia-Pacific leaders promised on Sunday to try to revive world trade talks
and fight terrorism after a summit marred at the end by disputes over the
security of President Bush.
APEC leaders
applaud at the end of the reading of the declaration the annual APEC
summit in Santiago on November 21, 2004. The leaders are (front row, L-R)
New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, Japan's Prime Minister Junichiro
Koizumi, Chinese President Hu Jintao, and Australian Prime Minister John
Howard, (back row (L-R) U.S. President George W. Bush, Singapore Prime
Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
[Reuters] | The leaders of 21 Pacific Rim
economies from China to Canada, gathered in Chile, said they would try to push
forward with ambitious free trade talks that began in Doha in 2001 but broke
down two years later in a dispute over farm subsidies.
Summit security squabbles between the United States and the Chilean hosts
left a bad taste at the end of a meeting in which the greatest excitement was
generated by an aggressive drive by China to boost trade links with
commodity-rich Pacific states.
Bush looked to the event to improve ties with Latin America after his first
term was consumed by the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks and Iraq war. In
a meeting on the sidelines, Bush promised Mexico's Vicente Fox to pursue a U.S.
temporary guest worker program that has met congressional opposition.
The two joined the other 19 leaders to pose for pictures with brightly
colored ponchos draped over their suits. An appearance in local costume is an
APEC tradition.
APEC leaders,
wearing traditional Chilean ponchos, have their official photograph taken
at La Moneda Sunday, November 21, 2004 in Santiago, Chile.
[Xinhua] | "We welcomed the new momentum
acquired by the Doha Development Agenda negotiations," the APEC leaders said in
a final communique. "We pledged to provide leadership to continuing this
momentum."
The final declaration also called for "substantially greater market access
and fewer distortions" in agriculture, which is heavily subsidized in industrial
nations such as those of the European Union, Japan and the United States.
Leaders also promised to consider standardizing bilateral free-trade pacts
proliferating across the world's most economically dynamic region. They pledged
cooperation to fight terrorism and corruption.
BUSH WADES INTO SCUFFLE
But the summit was not trouble-free, as Bush was forced to wade into
scuffling Chilean security officers who tried to prevent one of his bodyguards
from entering a dinner on Saturday -- an apparent dispute over a limit on the
number of people attending.
Local media also said the Chilean government scaled down another banquet
because it objected to U.S. Secret Service plans to screen guests with metal
detectors.
A White House spokesman said the event had been changed to an official
working dinner. Invitations to more than 200 local businessmen and other
dignitaries were rescinded.
The sagging dollar and U.S. trade and budget deficits, together with the
issues of North Korea and AIDS, were discussed during the summit.
But the biggest interest among business leaders was generated by China.
Seeking to lock in supplies for its booming economy, China last week launched
trade talks with the world's largest copper exporter, Chile, and discussed big
deals with agriculture powerhouses Brazil and Argentina.
Bush said he welcomed China's increasing trade with a region that has long
looked principally to the United States or Europe.
"I think it's helpful for there to be universal prosperity. China represents
great opportunities for Chile and the United States, and we look forward to
working with China," Bush told a joint news conference with host President
Ricardo Lagos.
Referring to a question about the war in Iraq, which Chile opposed in the
United Nations Security Council and was unpopular in Latin America, Bush said:
"President Lagos didn't agree with my decision and I respect that. He's still my
friend."
He said whether people agree with him or not, they should agree the world is
better off without Saddam Hussein in power and it is important to succeed in
Iraq and develop democracy there.
Next year's APEC summit will be held in South Korea, which wants the group to
achieve free trade among members by 2020, Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon told
Reuters.
"When we hold this APEC leaders meeting in 2005, Korea will place more
emphasis so that APEC can give much bigger and stronger impetus" to key World
Trade Organization talks to be held in Hong Kong in December 2005, Ban
said.
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