AlQa'dah 28, 1434, Oct 4, 2013, SPA -- Ministers from countries in the Asia-Pacific region began a two-day meeting Friday on the Indonesian resort island of Bali to forge a common stand on trade and investment liberalization, dpa reported. The ministers from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group were seeking progress on reducing barriers to trade and investment, a goal that was first adopted 19 years ago at a summit in the Indonesian city of Bogor. "We need to ensure that the Bogor goals are achieved and the Asia-Pacific region can be a driver of growth that is equitable and sustainable," Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said. The ministerial will be followed by a summit of 21 Asia-Pacific leaders on Monday and Tuesday. Countries participating in the forum include China, the United States, Japan, Australia, Russia and Indonesia. The leaders are also expected to pursue agreements to strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination and speed up regional economic integration and infrastructure development. US President Barack Obama had been due to attend the meeting but cancelled his trip owing to the political crisis at home that has caused a government shutdown. Secretary of State John Kerry, who attended the ministerial meeting on Friday, was appointed to represent the US at the summit. Leaders from 12 Asia-Pacific nations, including the United States and Japan, are also seeking progress in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade negotiations in Bali, with the aim of reaching a deal by the year-end.
