BACKGROUND
1.
The Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) process aims to promote open multilateral trade and to explore other areas where economic co-operation might be possible. Present membership comprises the six ASEAN countries (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia,
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand) plus Australia, New Zealand,
Korea, Japan, USA and Canada. There have been two APEC Ministerial meetings in Canberra in November 1989 and in Singapore in July 1990. The third Ministerial meeting will be held in Seoul in
October 1991.
2. The UK has lobbied in support of Hong Kong's participation in APEC, laying stress on Hong Kong's economic and commercial autonomy and urging that its case be examined separately from that of China. Although China remains sensitive about Hong Kong's participation, she will probably have no objection provided membership is not limited to sovereign states. ASEAN countries are wary about expanding the membership of APEC, perhaps feeling that their solidarity would be weakened. However, at the Singapore meeting it was agreed that an acceptable formula for membership should be found as soon as possible. Hong Kong clearly has a major role in regional economic co-operation, and her membership of APEC would help to strengthen APEC's promotion of free trade and market
forces.
3.
Various ideas have recently been floated for a multilateral security framework for the Asia/Pacific region. Shevardnadze proposed a meeting of Asian Foreign Ministers in 1993 at the Vladivostok Conference in September; the Australian Foreign Minister has suggested that a multilateral forum be set up on the CSCE model; the Canadians have floated the idea of NGO/official contacts to create "a habit of dialogue" among Asian countries on security related issues. All these proposals come up against US opposition to the idea of a multilateral framework that weakens current bilateral attempts to resolve security issues, and gives the Soviet
/Union
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