Sunday 9 September 2012

PIA News Dispatch - Sunday, September 9, 2012


President Aquino holds bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Najib Razak of Malaysia

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia: The Philippines and Malaysia on Sunday (Vladivostok time) expressed the need to be able to adopt a common position in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with regards to the conflicting claims over the West Philippine Sea.

President Benigno S. Aquino III met with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak at the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting being held at the Far Eastern Federal University on Russkiy Island here.

During their bilateral meeting, the two leaders discussed topics on how to enhance investments and trade, defense cooperation, the West Philippine Sea, the ASEAN, and the Philippine government-MILF peace process.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, who was among the Philippine government officials present in the meeting, said that both leaders expressed the need to be able to adopt a common position in ASEAN on the West Philippine Sea dispute.

The Philippines, Malaysia, China, Brunei, Taiwan and Vietnam have overlapping claims over the West Philippine Sea.

“Both countries are on board in terms of the six principles that was agreed with ASEAN and so we are anxious to see how that can be moved forward,” Del Rosario said during an interview with members of the Philippine media covering the APEC summit.

“Both leaders had expressed the need to be able to adopt a common position in ASEAN in terms of the challenges in the West Philippine Sea, and we are also together in terms of support for the forward movement of the Code of Conduct,” he stressed

Del Rosario also said that President Aquino and Prime Minister Abdul Razak both expressed optimism and expectation that the peace negotiations could be finalized “in the next couple of months.”

The Foreign Affairs Secretary likewise said that during the bilateral meeting, President Aquino also expressed his gratitude to Malaysia for being an effective facilitator. He said that Prime Minister Abdul Razak also expressed his desire to be present when the peace agreement is signed.

As to trade and investments, Del Rosario said, there were trade and investment initiatives in Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong and that these initiatives “will try to move the many opportunities offered between the two countries in terms of enhancing bilateral trade and investments.”

Aside from Secretary del Rosario, also present in the bilateral meeting were Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Energy Secretary Rene Almendras, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, and Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda. PND (co/3:26pm)


Philippines and Vietnam renew friendship and cooperation

VALDIVOSTOK, Russia: The Philippines and Vietnam renewed their “deep friendship” and cooperation by closely working with each other in order to address the challenges that the two nations are both facing.

President Benigno S. Aquino III and Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang had a bilateral meeting at the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting on Sunday (Vladivostok time) at the Far Eastern Federal University on Russkiy Island.

“It was a renewal of the deep friendship between our two countries and the common challenges that we face in terms of the disputes in the West Philippine Sea,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, who was present during the bilateral meeting between the two countries, told members of the Philippine media during an interview here.

Del Rosario noted that Vietnam has been a partner of the Philippines in terms of cooperation.

“Vietnam has been a partner of the Philippines in terms of a cooperation to see how we both can address the challenge and be able to also work with other countries within ASEAN, and also our other dialogue partners in terms of being able to move forward the objectives, which we had closely defined as a peaceful resolution to the dispute in accordance with international law,” he added.

Present during the bilateral meeting were Secretary del Rosario, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Energy Secretary Rene Almendras, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, and Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda.

Also present were were Presidential Protocol Chief Ambassador Miguel Perez-Rubio, Philippine Ambassador to Moscow Alejandro Mosquera and Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Laura del Rosario.

On the Vietnam side, those present included Foreign Affairs Minister Pham Minh, Presidential Office Chairman Dao Viet Trung, Industry and Trade Minister Vu Huy Hoang, Planning and Investment Vice Minister Dang Huy Dong, and Assistant to the President Nguyen Van Thao, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General Vu Hong Nam. PND (co/3:39pm)


Aquino and 20 other leaders of APEC cite importance of international trade to economic recovery job creation and development

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia: President Benigno S. Aquino III and the 20 other leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) cited the importance of international trade to economic recovery, job creation, and development and the value and centrality of the multilateral system as embodied in the World Trade Organization (WTO).

In the APEC Declaration issued on Sunday (Vladivostok time) at the conclusion of the 20th APEC Leaders' Meeting at the APEC Conference Center here, the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen this system.

"In working towards the successful multilateral conclusion of the Doha Development Round, we reaffirm the instructions to our officials in Geneva to continue exploring different, fresh and credible negotiating approaches while respecting the Doha mandate, the principles of transparency, the importance of the multilateral trading system, and development," the APEC leaders said.

The APEC leaders also remained firmly committed to advancing the technical discussions actively taking place in Geneva on trade facilitation and other development-related issues as mandated by the 8th WTO Ministerial Conference.

They directed their respective Ministers to continue to work to advance these objectives, and to comprehensively and realistically review the progress achieved in the WTO by the next meeting of APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade in 2013.

In view of the rise in protectionist trends and continuing uncertainties in the global economy, the APEC leaders reaffirmed their pledge to refrain through the end of 2015 from raising new barriers to investment or to trade in goods and services, imposing new export restrictions, or implementing WTO-inconsistent measures in all areas, including those that stimulate exports.

"We reaffirm our commitment to rollback protectionist measures and continue maximum restraint in implementing WTO-consistent measures with a significant protectionist effect," the APEC leaders said.

The APEC leaders said that while they recognized the important role that the WTO plays in reducing protectionism they also encouraged the WTO and other international organizations to "deepen their monitoring of protectionist measures, consistent with their respective mandates."

The APEC leaders likewise welcomed the ongoing work to expand the product coverage and membership of the WTO Information Technology Agreement and instructed their officials to work in earnest in order to swiftly achieve a good outcome of the negotiations.

"We underline the importance of the BogorGoals, and reaffirm our commitment to address issues that will help APEC economies to achieve them," the APEC leaders said as they recognized that Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) "is a major instrument to further APEC's regional economic integration agenda."

Taking note of the various regional undertakings that could be developed and built upon as a way towards an eventual Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, the APEC leaders directed the Ministers to continue to facilitate APEC's role as "an incubator of a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific and to explore ways towards its realization by providing leadership and intellectual input into the process of its development."

They also remained committed to addressing next generation trade and investment issues as an important aspect of their work to further integration of APEC economies and expansion of trade throughout the region. PND (rsda/4:36pm)


Aquino and 20 member economies of APEC reaffirm commitment to promote green growth and seek practical trade-enhancing solutions in addressing environmental challenges

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia: President Benigno S. Aquino III and the 20 other member-economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) reaffirmed their commitment to promote green growth and to seeking practical trade-enhancing solutions in order to address the global environmental challenges.

"In 2012, we made considerable progress in this regard. We welcome and endorse the APEC List of Environmental Goods that directly and positively contribute to our green growth and sustainable development objectives," the APEC leaders said in the APEC Declaration issued on Sunday (Vladivostok time) at the conclusion of the 20th APEC Leaders' Meeting at the APEC Conference Center here.

The APEC leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to reduce their applied tariff rates to five percent or less on these environment goods by the end of 2015, taking into account economies' economic circumstances without prejudice to their positions in the World Trade Organization.

"By reducing tariffs on environmental goods, we will help our businesses and citizens to access important environmental technologies, which will facilitate their deployment and use contributing significantly to our green growth and trade liberalization objectives," they stressed.

The APEC leaders noted that while supporting sustainable growth, they agreed that promoting growth should not be used as an excuse to introduce protectionist measures.

They also pledged their commitment to ensuring that their actions to protect the environment are least trade restrictive and consistent with their international trade obligations.

"We recognize that natural resources and the ecosystems upon which they depend are important foundations for sustainable economic growth," the APEC leaders said.

Concerned about escalating illicit trafficking in endangered and protected wildlife, including marine resources, and associated products which has economic, social, security, and environmental consequences in their economies, the APEC leaders committed themselves to strengthen their efforts to combat illegal trade in wildlife, timber, and associated products to implement measures to ensure sustainable marine and forest ecosystems management, and to facilitate sustainable, open, and fair trade of non-timber forest products.

"We will take meaningful steps to promote sustainable management and conservation of wildlife population while addressing both the illegal supply and demand for endangered and protected wildlife through capacity building cooperation, increased enforcement, and other mechanisms," they said. PND (rsda/5:24)