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IMPLEMENTATION OF LEADERS VISION AND INITIATIVES

APEC Leaders Economic Vision Statement, 1993: Progress on Themes

42. Ministers expressed appreciation for the presentation by Canada of the paper "APEC 1994 Work Program: Progress on Leaders Priorities and Issues". Ministers noted that the paper presented a useful survey of the breadth and scope of APEC's range of activities, relating them to the Seattle Leaders' initiatives. Ministers endorsed the release of this report as a contribution to public understanding of APEC Activities.

Remarks on the progress of the implementation of the Leaders Initiatives on Blake Island

1. The Establishment of the Pacific Business Forum

43. Ministers welcomed the work that has been concluded by the PBF. (A complete Ministers' comment on the PBF is stated at the item of "The Report of Pacific Business Forum".)

2. Finance Ministers' Meeting

44. Ministers noted that APEC Finance Ministers had met in Honolulu, Hawaii on 18-19 March 1994 and had agreed to further a dialogue in areas of mutual interest, such as recent economic developments, capital flows and financial markets issues, with a focus on private financing of infrastructure. They welcomed the decision of the APEC Finance Ministers to hold a second Meeting in Indonesia on 15-16 April 1995.

3. APEC Education Program

45. Ministers welcomed progress towards the realization of the program through the participation of many APEC member economies, noting the importance of educational links in strengthening ties among member economies, especially the progress on APEC Study Centers in member economies.
46. Ministers welcomed the launching of the APEC Next Generations' Program which was held in Cheju Island, Korea on 11-16 September 1994, under the theme "Toward a Prosperous Pacific Age". The US has offered to host the second ANGP Workshops in Seattle in 1995.

4. APEC Business Volunteer Program

47. Ministers commended Thailand on organizing a seminar which had reached consensus on how to advance the goals of the program, notably through the establishment of focal points in member economies to identify needs for and expertise in each such economy, to network with other focal points, and to serve as a dissemination point for information on the program.

5. Non-Binding Investment Principals

48. Ministers endorsed the set of Non-Binding Investment Principles prepared in response to the initiative of APEC Economic Leaders at their informal meeting in Seattle. These principles represent an important aspect of work by APEC on investment. Ministers welcomed these principles and directed the CTI to continue work on investment issues, with the active involvement of the business community, to enhance investment among member economies.

6. Energy, Environment and Economic Growth

49. Ministers commended Japan for its report to the Ministers on the 3Es. They discussed the increasing demand for energy and the growing significance of environmental issues in the region, and noted the importance of 3Es and the simultaneous achievement of the 3Es. Ministers noted the Japanese paper will prove helpful to the Energy Working Group in defining its future efforts.
50. Ministers also examined the future issue, as pointed out in the report, of improving the regional structure of energy demand-supply, and discussed APEC's vital role in information exchange, fostering common understanding and policy discussion.

7. APEC Center for Technology Exchange and Training for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises

51. Ministers welcomed the progress in elaboration and realization of the project to make small and medium enterprises more globally competitive through the two- pronged strategy of technology exchange and training for such enterprises.

8. Small and Medium Enterprises Ministers Meeting

52. Ministers thanked Japan for hosting the Osaka Small and Medium Enterprises Ministerial Meeting and concurred with the SMEs Ministers' Joint Statement that SMEs were increasingly important in terms of heightening economic complementarities and development in the region. They also agreed that market oriented SMEs policy on Human Resources Development, information access, technology and technology sharing, the availability of finance and market access should be enhanced.
53. Ministers noted that a sound base had been established for APEC SME policy dialogue and noted the joint meeting between the business/private sector and the Ministers in that it had obviously enhanced the practical value of the discussions in the SME Ministerial Meeting.
54. Ministers endorsed the SME Ministers' recommendation to upgrade the SME Experts Meeting into an Ad-Hoc SME Policy-Level Group, and also the terms of reference for this group, as well as the further recommendation that APEC commission an industrial outlook study. They welcomed the decision to hold a second SME Ministerial Meeting in Australia in 1995.
55. Ministers welcomed Japan's voluntary contribution to the fostering of APEC SMEs, such as the establishment of training and support programmes.

ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES

APEC Secretariat

56. Ministers noted with appreciation the work of Ambassador Rusli Noor and his staff at the Secretariat during the second year of the Secretariat's operation. Ministers stressed the importance of the Secretariat in facilitating and coordinating APEC's work programs and in promoting information exchanges among member economies as well as among various Committees and Working Groups.
57. Ministers took note that the initial arrangement of the APEC Secretariat is approaching its end. In this regard, Ministers asked the SOM to review the arrangement and the function of the Secretariat to ensure that the Secretariat is meeting APEC's evolving needs, and submit recommendations for new arrangements to the next Ministerial Meeting. Ministers also endorsed the establishment of a Task Force for this purpose, the Terms of Reference of which are contained in the SOM report.
58. Ministers noted that the Secretariat will have to meet its recurrent expenditure including salaries and allowances of locally-recruited staff, utility charges, and charges for the maintenance of buildings and office equipment, which are currently being borne by the Singapore Government, effective on 1 January 1996. Ministers agreed on the need for the current arrangements for staffing and funding the Secretariat to be reviewed. Ministers endorsed Senior Officials' recommendations to form a task force to examine this matter and report to the next Ministerial Meeting.

Participation Issues

59. Ministers welcomed the membership of Chile in APEC beginning with this Ministerial meeting.
60. Ministers discussed the issue of participation by non-member economies and organizations in APEC Working Groups. Ministers decided that the matter be referred back to the Senior Officials for them to work out criteria and principles to be submitted to the 1995 APEC Ministerial Meeting.
61. Ministers noted the progress made to formulate policies that can promote business activities in the region.
62. Ministers particularly noted the contributions of the Pacific Business Forum and the Eminent Persons Group and the increased participation of the business/private sector in APEC at all levels, notably in Working Group activities.
63. Ministers welcomed the establishment of the Asia Pacific Business Network (APB-Net). Ministers commended the work of APB-Net as a concrete implementation of business/private sector engagement in the APEC process and Ministers also expected that this new forum could be a vital and effective channel for promoting business networking.

Budget Issues

64. Ministers welcomed the establishment of the Budget and Administrative Committee and noted with satisfaction its successful operation during 1994. Ministers approved a 1995 budget of US$2,227,732 as drawn up by the Committee and recommended by Senior Officials. Ministers also endorsed the contribution levels recommended by Senior Officials for 1995, but noted that the overall approach for assessing members' contributions would be reviewed next year by the BAC.
65. Ministers asked that the Budget and Administrative Committee should continue its useful work in examining and making recommendations to Senior Officials on budgetary issues and on how to improve operational and administrative efficiency.

OTHER MATTERS

ACDS

66. Ministers welcomed the report on the completion of the first stage of the APEC Communications and Database System (ACDS) project and noted that the ACDS promises to be the communications hub and information repository of APEC.
67. Ministers urged full use of ACDS to increase APEC's efficiency and greatly improve communications among the member economies, Working Groups and Committees and the Secretariat.

Environment Ministers Meeting

68. Ministers noted the Philippines presentation of the concept of Debt-for-Nature Swap in relation to sustainable development.
69. Ministers welcomed the result of the Meeting of the APEC Ministers concerned with the Environment which was held in Vancouver, Canada on 23-25 March 1994. Ministers also welcomed the suggestions for implementation developed by the Environmental Experts Meeting in Hua Lien, Chinese Taipei, on 25-27 August 1994. They directed the SOM and the Working Groups to study these suggestions and directed the SOM to report to the Seventh Ministerial Meeting on its progress in integrating environmental issues into ongoing APEC activities.

PREPARATION FOR THE SEVENTH MINISTERIAL MEETING

70. Ministers thanked Japan for the valuable briefing on the preparations of the Seventh APEC Ministerial Meeting in Osaka, Japan, in 1995.

VENUES FOR FUTURE APEC MEETINGS

71. As decided at the Fourth Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok, the Seventh Ministerial Meeting will be held in Japan in 1995. The Eighth and Ninth Ministerial Meetings will be held in 1996 and 1997, hosted respectively by the Republic of the Philippines and Canada. Malaysia will host the Tenth Ministerial Meeting in 1998.
72. Ministers and their delegations expressed their deep and wholehearted appreciation to the Republic of Indonesia for its warm and generous hospitality towards all the participants and the excellent facilities and arrangements made available for the Meeting.