The 10th annual Economic Leaders' Meeting of the Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum ended in Los Cabos Sunday with
the adoption of a declaration on economic growth and statements on
counter-terrorism.
Under the theme of "Expanding the Benefits of Cooperation for
Growth and Economic Development -- Implementing the Vision," the
two-day 2002 APEC Economic Leaders Meeting was held at this seaside
resort in northern Mexico to discuss counter-terrorism issues,
growth policies for the new economy; ways to benefit from
development, particularly for small, medium and micro
enterprises;and ways to promote greater participation in APEC by
women and young people.
But in wake of the deadly bombing in the Indonesian island of Bali,
series of terrorist attacks in the Philippines and hostage-taking
by Chechen separatists in Moscow, global security issues have
dominated the meeting.
In
the Economic Leaders' Declaration, leaders of the 21-member APEC
said: "We gathered in Los Cabos for the 10th annual APEC Economic
Leaders' Meeting to strengthen economic growth by implementing the
APEC vision of free, open and prosperous economies.
"We agreed on the importance of fighting terrorism, which posesa
profound threat to our vision," the declaration says.
It
says that APEC leaders endorsed the APEC Trade Facilitation Action
Plan which will implement "our commitment to cut transaction costs
by 5 percent in the APEC region by 2006," and adopted the attached
Statement to Implement APEC Transparency Standards, and directed
that these standards be implemented as soon as possible, and in no
case later than January 2005.
APEC leaders endorsed Pathfinder Initiatives on advance passenger
information systems; the revised Kyoto Convention on the
Simplification and Harmonization of Customs Procedures, etc., and
adopted the attached Statement to Implement the APEC Policies on
Trade and the Digital Economy, which contains a set of targets
related to trade policies for the New Economy, according to the
declaration.
For two consecutive years since the September 11 terrorist attacks
in the United States, global security issues have overshadowed APEC
annual meetings' discussions of free trade and prosperity.
At
the 9th annual APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting held in Shanghai in
October 2001, APEC leaders issued a declaration to call for a
global campaign against terrorism.
At
their meeting this year, APEC leaders issued the Counter-Terrorism
Statements consisting of the APEC Leaders' Statement on Recent Acts
of Terrorism in APEC Member Economies and the APEC Leaders'
Statement on Fighting Terrorism and Promoting Growth.
These statements address the dangers posed by terrorism to the
Asia-Pacific region and outline the twin APEC goals of enhancing
security against terrorist threats while ensuring trade growth in
the Asia-Pacific region.
The APEC Leaders' Statement on Recent Acts of Terrorism in APEC
Member Economies reaffirms the APEC Leaders Statement on
Counter-Terrorism adopted in Shanghai in October 2001.
In
this statement, APEC leaders acknowledged the need to immediately
combat, by all means, threats to international peace, security and
economic sustainability of the region caused by terrorist acts.
Meanwhile, the APEC Leaders' Statement on Fighting Terrorism and
Promoting Growth calls for enhancing the Secure Trade in the APEC
Region (STAR) Initiative, halting terrorist financing, promoting
cyber security, and capacity building.
The STAR initiative will provide a forum for promoting the
implementation of measures proposed by international organizations
committed to countering terrorism and promoting economic
development.
"Leaders have agreed to work together to secure the flow of goods
and people through measures to protect cargo, ships engaged in
international voyages, international aviation and people in
transit," it says.
On
halting terrorist financing, the statement says APEC leaders have
agreed to enhance practical efforts to prevent terrorists and their
organizations from transferring and accessing funding.
These measures include fully implementing UN and other
international instruments, promoting better monitoring of
alternative remittance systems and non-profit organizations and
enhancing law enforcement and regulatory capabilities.
On
promoting cyber security, the statement says APEC leaders have
agreed to commit to endeavor to enact comprehensive cyber crime
laws and develop closer law enforcement communication and
cooperation.
On
capacity building, the statement says APEC leaders commit to work
cooperatively to build capacity throughout the region so that all
economies can benefit from the resulting gains in security and
prosperity.
"This will include building on the considerable
counter-terrorism-related training and other assistance already
being undertaken in the APEC region," it says.
APEC, set up in 1989 in response to the growing interdependence
among Asia-Pacific economies and to the need to advance
Asia-Pacific economic dynamism and sense of community, now groups
Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Chinese Hong Kong,
Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua
New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei,
Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.
(Xinhua News
Agency October 28, 2002)