After two days’ sitting, the APEC Concluding Senior Officials’ Meeting (CSOM) concluded successfully in Hanoi on November 13. Permanent Deputy Foreign Minister Le Cong Phung who is also the chair of the Senior Officials Meeting (SOM), hosted a press briefing to announce the CSOM results as well as preparations for the APEC Ministerial Meeting (AMM) and the 14^th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting (AELM).

During the meeting, officials from 21 APEC member economies held in-depth discussions on various APEC issues such as investment, economics, trade, human security, anti-terrorism, natural disaster and epidemic control, culture, tourism, anti-corruption and APEC reforms. They reached a consensus on many important results for APEC 2006 for submission to ministers and leaders for approval.

The Doha round- a major concern for APEC senior officials

Speaking at the press briefing, Mr Phung said APEC senior officials voiced their support for global a multilateral trading system, considering support for the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the Doha round a top priority for APEC.

In the context of the deadlocked Doha round, which is still unresolved, officials reached a high unanimity on an exclusive statement on the Doha round to be released at the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting scheduled for November 18-19. The statement, with specific measures and proposals, will testify to APEC members’ strong political determination to resume the Doha round soon.

APEC 14 is a significant and final opportunity for APEC economic leaders to save the Doha round from the current deadlock. Therefore, the pin high hopes on Vietnam, as the host country, considering this an international substantial contribution after it joined the WTO, said Mr Phung.

Other important programmes

Permanent Deputy Foreign Minister Le Cong Phung said CSOM approved the Hanoi Action Plan on the Busan Roadmap to Achieve the Bogor Goals which were initiated and actively built by Vietnam. APEC member economies have praised the country’s pivotal role in building the Hanoi Action Plan towards the future of APEC.

Senior officials said that the Hanoi Action Plan is not only a foundation but also a guideline  for economic and trade cooperation activities in APEC for the next 15 years, aimed at fulfilling Bogo goals by 2020 and perfecting APEC cooperation mechanisms.

The meeting passed the APEC reform package which outlines measures to help APEC become more dynamic in a rapidly changing world compared with the 1990s when APEC was first set up.

Deputy Minister Phung stressed the role of Vietnam in the APEC reform process, while APEC member economies said that 2006 is the year of APEC reform. He said APEC members highly valued Vietnam’s flexibility and efforts in managing discussions and concluding sensitive issues  such as the APEC reform.

The CSOM agreed to submit to the leaders’ meeting major successes of ministerial meetings held in 2006 for approval. They are long-term strategies and specific cooperation programmes which were endorsed at the APEC Ministerial Meeting on Avian and Influenza Pandemics, the Declaration at the Finance Ministers’ Meeting, the Hanoi Declaration on Strengthening SME Competitiveness for Trade and Investment at the APEC SME Ministerial Meeting, and the Hoi An Declaration on Tourism at the APEC Tourism Ministers’ Meeting.

These ministerial meetings discussed Vietnam’s initiatives and priorities which received support from APEC members. Tourism and culture - Vietnam’s two priorities - have been well implemented this year with the aim of further boosting community links and enhancing cooperation and mutual understanding among APEC member economies.

The meeting also agreed upon a report of the APEC Counter Terrorism Task Force and other summary reports from APEC committees. Negotiations are still going on among member economies on nine model measures to develop regional trade agreements and free trade areas (RTAs/FTAs). A number of these measures are expected to receive consensus soon and will then be submitted to APEC Ministers for endorsement, said Mr Phung.

Apart from important achievements, member economies are discussing issues of mutual concern, particularly the initiative to set up an Asia-Pacific free trade area.

At the press briefing, Deputy Minister Le Cong Phung answered questions relating to the CSOM and APEC priorities raised by domestic and foreign journalists.