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Singapore calls on APEC to push ahead with goal of free trade
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 10 - 11 - 2009


Singapore today called on the 21 member
economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Forum (APEC) to push ahead
with their ambitious goal of free trade in the region, as the forum
could set the pace and the direction for the whole world, according to dpa.
"What we really want is a free trade area in Asia-Pacific, but
that will be very difficult to negotiate," Singapore Foreign Minister
George Yeo said at the sidelines of the APEC annual summit in the
city state.
"But let"s keep pushing in that direction through bilateral and
regional free trade agreements, creating a positive, competitive
dynamic," he said.
Creating consensus was often excruciating difficult, Yeo added.
"But 21 economies, meeting regularly, we can set the pace and the
direction for the whole world," he said.
"We can do it whether it"s for financial reform, whether it is for
climate change, whether it is for the global trading agenda. It would
help us 21 economies to create a much better world," said Yeo.
Yeo made his comments at a symposium to mark the 20th anniversary
of APEC, which counts for about half of the global gross domestic
product and brings together rich developed nations and countries
where a large number of people still live in poverty.
The Singapore summit is set to culminate when the leaders of the
member economies - including US President Barack Obama - come
together in the city state on Saturday and Sunday.
APEC consists of 21 Pacific Rim economies: Australia, Brunei,
Canada, Chile, China, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico,
New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, South
Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Peru, Russia, the United States and Vietnam.


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