Concluding WTO Negotiations, Improving FTAs and Enhancing Human Security on APEC Senior Officials Meeting Agenda Tomorrow

The Second formal APEC Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) for 2006 begins tomorrow. The agenda includes APEC's role in concluding current WTO negotiations, ensuring best practices for the signing of free trade agreements and enhancing human security.

Following the informal meeting of Senior Officials today the plenary session will begin tomorrow and lay the foundations for the Meeting of APEC Ministers' Responsible for Trade in Ho Chi Minh City on June 1-2.

First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam and Chair of the 2006 Senior Officials Meetings, Mr. Le Cong Phung, said one of the most important issues for Senior Officials would be the consideration of input from the APEC Geneva Caucus on current WTO negotiations.

"The global economy is at a delicate stage of WTO negotiations and APEC is making progress on identifying a way forward," Mr. Le said after the informal meeting.

"With the conclusion of the Doha Development Round of World Trade Organization Negotiations expected by the end of 2006, APEC has an important role to play in overcoming differences between the wide range of trading members involved in negotiations.

"APEC represents a diversity of developing and developed economies and accounts for around half of global trade flows so we are in a position to make a substantial contribution to WTO negotiations.

"The Geneva Caucus, the group of Member Economy representatives based in Geneva, has provided input that will be considered in a standalone statement on the DDA by APEC Trade Ministers."

"Senior Officials will consider the recommendations of the Geneva Caucus before this is presented to ministers."

The APEC 2006 SOM Chair said other pressing issues to be considered by APEC Senior Officials include improving the quality and transparency of Trade Arrangements and Free Trade Agreements (RTAs/FTAs) in the region.

"It is quite clear that RTAs and FTAs are important components of the regional economy so APEC is working to ensure new agreements implemented by Member Economies are of the highest quality," said Mr. Le.

"APEC adopted a series of model measures for undertaking RTAs and FTAs in 2005 and now these are being further refined."

Senior Officials will also consider the range of recent APEC issues intended to enhance human security in the Asia-Pacific. This will include the latest updates from the APEC Counter Terrorism Task Force, the APEC Health Task Force and the APEC Task Force on Emergency Preparedness.

"The recent tragic earthquake in Indonesia, the potential for a pandemic influenza outbreak and the ongoing threat of terrorism are all issues that harm the social and economic health of our regional economy," Mr. Le said.

"APEC will continue to strengthen measures designed to prepare for potential crises and to deal with a disaster once it occurs."