PRIME MINISTER 2/ 93
STATEMENT BY TIE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON PJ. KEATING, MP
APEC EMINENT PERSONS GROUP
I am pleased to announce the Australian Government's nomination of the Hon
. Ncyillc Wran AC QC as Australia's participant in the Eminent Persons -Group
( EPO) to be cstablished this year as part of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
( APEC) process.
The EPG, an Australian initiative, was endorsed at the September 1992 APEC
Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok. It will have as its main task consideration of a
longer-term vision for APEC to the year 2000. In doing so, it will focus on ways
to advance the APEC region's development through strengthened trade, investment
and other linkages. The EPG will also identify constraints and issues which APEC
Governments should address in order to build on tile remarkable economic
dynamism of the region.
Mr Wran is a most distinguished Australian who is well placed to contribute to the
work of the EPG through his wide experience at the highest levels of government
and business. As former Chairman of the CSIRO, Mr Wran also has a keen
understanding of what Australia has to offer the region in the scientific and
technological area.
Mr Wran's involvement in the EPG is a further step in Australia's support for the
APEC process, which is now accepted in the Asia-Pacific region as an essential
mechanism for promoting open regionalism and regional trade liberalisation.
APEC began from an Australian initiative in 1989. Its membership comprises
fifteen key economies of the Asia-Pacifietegion and embraces the main economic
linkages the countries of North America and the Western Pacific. The APEC
region now accounts for nearly 74 per cent of Australia's total exports and the bulk
of our future trade growth is cxpected to he with these economies.
In parallel with our fundamental interest in the maintenance of an open and nondiscriminatory
multi-lateral trading system, APEC is thc central component of
Australia's trade strategy at the regional level. The Govcrnment is committed to
cooperate with other APEC members in identifying practical steps to promote
regional trade and investment.
The EPO will have an important role to play in this process. It will begin its work
early this year and report to the next APEC Ministerial meeting in late 1993 in the
United States. Other APEC members are currently formalising their nominations
to thc EPG. The group is expected to comprise about twelve distinguished
individuals with backgrounds in government, business and academia.
CANBERRA 3 January 1993