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SYDNEY: India is among a dozen nations set to remain
out in the cold after foreign and trade ministers of the Asia
Pacific grouping declined Wednesday to discuss expanding the
21-member club, an official said.
India believes its geographical
location, trade and investment interaction and the size of its
economy all serve to strengthen its bid to join the Asia Pacific
Economic Cooperation forum, which was set up in 1989.
Backed by Australia, which is
hosting this year’s APEC summit, it has been knocking on the door
of the forum for years and had been hoping the end of a 10-year
moratorium on new members from 1997 would help its case.
But a Japanese official said the
ministers decided to take no action.
“I understand the chair
concluded that the status quo should be maintained for the
membership issue,” Japanese foreign ministry spokesman Mitsuo
Sakaba told reporters.
The ministers were asked to
express their views on admitting new members.
However, “no hands were raised
for speaking on this matter,” effectively shelving any decision.
The lack of enthusiasm was
consistent with what APEC senior officials had recommended in
preparatory meetings earlier this week, when they proposed the body
should first consolidate its existing work before any enlargement.
Potential APEC candidates include
failed applicants from before—India, Colombia, Ecuador, Macau,
Mongolia, Pakistan, Panama and Sri Lanka—as well as Southeast
Asian countries Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.
The club already includes the
likes of Australia, China, Japan, Russia and the United States.
The other members are: Brunei,
Canada, Chile, Hong Kong, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico,
New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Singapore,
Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
--AFP
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