Peña touts gains at APEC summit

Wednesday, 09 October 2013 01:10
thenews.com.mx

 President says he accomplished his major goals

BY CIRCE VARGÓN
The News

President Enrique Peña Nieto says his official visit to Indonesia, which ended on Tuesday, was a success.
Peña Nieto traveled to the southeast Asian country to participate in the 21st Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, as well as to take part in negotiations regarding the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) — a free trade area that currently encompasses New Zealand, Chile, Singapore and Brunei, which eight other Pacific countries are hoping to join.

During Peña Nieto’s visit, the negotiating countries signed a joint statement declaring their desire to reach an agreement on the TPP before the end of the year. According to Peña Nieto, this joint statement reaffirms “the commitment, the political will and the interest of the countries that form part of the TPP negotiation process to conclude negotiations as soon as possible.”

U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman said Tuesday that he hopes negotiations will be completed by the end of the year.

Peña Nieto said that he accomplished all of his major goals for his Indonesia trip. His accomplishments, he added, included signing a series of memorandums of understanding with Indonesia that are designed to promote tourism, update financial and legal regulations to avoid double taxation and ensure that banks in both countries can protect their small- and medium-sized businesses while promoting bilateral trade and increasing the presence of Mexican products in the Indonesian market.

“This comes in the framework of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Mexico and Indonesia,” Peña Nieto said. “I believe this has been a positive encounter, above all because it was the only meeting that had this character in the framework of the APEC summit, here in Indonesia.”

The 19 countries participating in the APEC Summit, he added, reaffirmed their commitment to keep promoting free trade around the world. “We have been insisting on trade liberalization, eliminating barriers and avoiding borders so that Mexican products can have a better presence in other latitudes, in other countries,” Peña Nieto said. “We all have the conviction that, through free trade, we can truly promote economic growth and create jobs.”