[asia-apec 1461] NZ Herald on APEC/Darwin

[APEC Monitoring Group]

8 June 2000

Apec clear on global trade aim

08.06.2000 - By BRIAN FALLOW 
DARWIN - Apec trade ministers have reaffirmed their economies' commitment to launching a new round of global trade talks. 

They have also endorsed the consensus reached last year in Auckland that a round would have to be sufficiently broad-based and balanced to meet the needs of all World Trade Organisation members. 

As for when a round might be launched, Australian Trade Minister Mark Vaile said a strong view had been expressed to WTO Director-General Mike Moore that no attempt should be made until it was sure to succeed. 

"We don't want a repeat of the missed opportunities of Seattle," Mr Vaile said. 

Both the United States and Japanese representatives said the round should be started as soon as possible. 

"This year if we can," said US representative Richard Fisher. 

"But right now we don't have the consensus." 

The ministers also agreed on a package of measures to assist developing Apec economies to implement and take advantage of existing WTO agreements. 

They called for initial work on industrial tariffs - which includes fish and forest products - to begin in the WTO in preparation for a new round - something the Americans are keen on. 

And they announced a moratorium on customs duties on e-commerce, at least until the next WTO ministerial meeting. 

Those initiatives aside, the outcome of the Darwin meeting - the biggest assembly of trade ministers since Seattle - was primarily a negative one: putting a ratchet under the consensus achieved at Auckland last September, and preventing further backsliding from the multilateral trade liberalisation agenda. 

But that is about as much as anyone had expected from the Darwin meeting. 

Mr Vaile and New Zealand counterpart Jim Sutton had talked in terms of it adding to the momentum imparted by the crucial vote by the US Congress last month which in effect cleared the way for China to join the WTO. 

Winning that vote was a higher priority for the Clinton Administration than the launch of a new round. 

And rightly so, said Mr Moore at the Darwin meeting. 

"We can start a new round any time. China was a once-in-a-decade decision."