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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1993
MR MILLER HAD CONFIDENCE THAT APEC COULD HELP TO ENHANCE AN ALREADY OPEN AND DYNAMIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN SEVERAL WAYS.
FIRSTLY, HE BELIEVED THAT APEC COULD AND SHOULD BECOME A OF GENUINELY OPEN REGIONALISM.
MODEL
MEMBERS SHOULD TAKE UP FULLY AND WITHOUT EXCEPTION BOTH THEIR RIGHTS AND THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES UNDER THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TRADE AND TARIFFS (GATT), WHILE NOT DISCRIMINATING AGAINST OTHERS.
THEY SHOULD ALSO PROGRESSIVELY DISMANTLE SUCH BARRIERS TO TRADE AND INVESTMENT WHICH EXIST BETWEEN THEM, WHILE NOT ERECTING OR LEAVING IN PLACE BARRIERS TO OTHERS; AND IN THIS OPENNESS, SERVING AS A MODEL FOR THE REST OF THE WORLD IN CONTRAST TO OTHER CLOSED GROUPINGS.
MR MILLER SAID HE ALSO TOOK APEC AS SOMETHING AKIN TO THE OECD, BUT WITH A REGIONAL FLAVOUR, DEVELOPING REGIONAL INITIATIVE FOR WIDER TRADE REFORMS.
"ONCE THE URUGUAY ROUND IS SUCCESSFULLY CONCLUDED AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WILL TURN ITS ATTENTION TO NEW ISSUES, IDENTIFIED BUT NOT DEALT WITH AS PART OF THE URUGUAY ROUND.
"IN THE SAME WAY THAT THE OECD DID SOME OF THE SEMINAL WORK ON, FOR EXAMPLE, TRADE IN SERVICES, APEC SHOULD BE ABLE IN FUTURE TO DO SOME OF THE GROUNDWORK ON THESE NEW ISSUES.
"INDEED APEC MAY BE BETTER PLACED TO SECURE A BROADER CONSENSUS IN SOME AREAS BECAUSE OF ITS MORE ECONOMICALLY AND CULTURALLY DIVERSE MEMBERSHIP.
"AND ANY CONSENSUS ACHIEVED AMONG APEC MEMBERS SHOULD ALMOST BY DEFINITION BE MORE READILY ACCEPTABLE ΤΟ THE WIDER MULTILATERAL COMMUNITY, HE SAID.
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APEC COULD ALSO BE A FACILITATOR OF TRADE.
MR MILLER POINTED OUT THAT CERTAIN PROCEDURAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE IMPEDIMENTS TO TRADE COULD BE REMOVED OR STREAMLINED OR STANDARDISED AT A REGIONAL LEVEL THROUGH THE LESS FORMAL PROCESS
OF CONSULTATION AND CONSENSUS AMONG APEC MEMBERS.
"THIS SORT OF REGIONAL CO-OPERATION IS A VITAL COMPLEMENT то MULTILATERAL NEGOTIATIONS UNDER THE GATT.
**AND LIKE RIPPLES ON A POND CAN EXPAND OUTWARD TO EMBRACE OTHERS ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD,
** HE SAID.
MR MILLER ALSO PAID TRIBUTE TO THE CONTRIBUTION THE PRIVATE SECTOR HAD ALREADY BEEN MAKING TO THE WORK OF APEC.
HE NOTED THAT THOSE DOING BUSINESS IN THE REGION WERE BEST PLACED TO IDENTIFY THE IRRITATING LITTLE DIFFERENCES IN PROCEDURES, STANDARDS AND OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS WHICH, ALTHOUGH NOT FORMAL OR DELIBERATE BARRIERS ΤΟ TRADE, DID CREATE UNNECESSARY FRICTION AND DELAY.
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