S. Korean president stresses economy, regional integration at APEC summit

(ATTN: UPDATES with remarks from the South Korean president at the APEC summit in
paras 6-8, reports of leaders seeking to hold an impromptu meeting climate change on
the sidelines of APEC, minor changes)
By Byun Duk-kun

SINGAPORE, Nov. 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak urged
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders Saturday to enhance cooperation
in dealing with the ongoing global economic crisis and efforts to build a
regional economic community.
Lee also proposed that the leaders begin discussing a Free Trade Area of
Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) as suggested in a joint study by South Korea, Australia and
New Zealand, his office, Cheong Wa Dae, said.
The South Korean leader arrived here Friday for the annual summit of leaders from
21 economies around the Asia-Pacific rim.
"President Lee explained the outcome of the joint study on the FTAAP that it will
contribute to the development of APEC members and proposed that the leaders
discuss the issue as a long-term objective," Cheong Wa Dae said in a press
release.
The proposal falls in line with Lee's call for the continued leadership by major
economies to fight the global economic crisis.
Lee pressed for an early conclusion of trade negotiations of the World Trade
Organization, known as the Doha Development Agenda (DDA), stressing the "most
effective" way to fight trade protectionism is to promote free trade, according
to his spokeswoman Kim Eun-hye.
"The leaders have repeatedly agreed to conclude the negotiations at an early date
and they did so at last year's APEC summit in Lima, but the agreement has not
been followed up with concrete efforts," the president was quoted as saying.
"I believe this may have been because we lacked confidence. There must be efforts
to conclude the DDA negotiations within 2010 as promised," he told the APEC
summit, according to the spokeswoman.
The South Korean president also sought to bring together APEC and the G-20
economic summit, which will be chaired by South Korea in 2010.
In a separate meeting with the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), the South
Korean president called for close cooperation between the two economic forums.
"President Lee stressed the need for the international conference, G-20, and the
regional forum, APEC, to work closely together as complementary groups to counter
the economic crisis and set up post-crisis development initiatives," Cheong Wa
Dae said of the outcome of the ABAC.
ABAC talks were held in five separate groups. Lee attended his session with
leaders from Russia, Vietnam and Peru and business representatives and advisers
from the U.S., China, Thailand, New Zealand, Chile and Taiwan.
The G-20 summit has been named the premier forum for international economic
cooperation, as its member countries account for over 80 percent of world gross
domestic product (GDP). APEC states make up about 53 percent of world GDP.
At the APEC summit, Lee urged the leaders to freeze or roll back any new
protectionist measures introduced since the economic crisis unfolded late last
year, a key agreement of the G-20 forum.
Lee and the other leaders will meet again on Sunday to discuss a joint statement
to be issued at the end of the summit.
Meanwhile, the leaders are likely to hold an impromptu meeting on climate change
early Sunday with the prime minister of Denmark, according to an informed source
here. Denmark is not an APEC member.
The meeting aims to give a thrust to a U.N. climate summit slated for next month
in Copenhagen, the source said.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)