MEDIA STATEMENT (with amendments)

Sunday 27 June, 1999

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Chair of the meeting of APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade (MRT), New Zealand Trade Minister Hon Lockwood Smith PhD, today announced the delegations to attend the meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday:

Economy Delegation Head Delegates

Australia Hon Tim Fischer 22
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister
for Trade

Brunei HE Pehin Deto Abdul Rahman Taib 11
Daruassalam Minister for Industry & Primary
Resourcess

Canada HE Mr Bob Speller 31
Parliamentary Secretary to the
Minister for International Trade

Chile Hon Mr Jorge Levia Lavalle 10
Minister of the Economy

People's Republic HE Mr Long Yongu 13
of China Chief Trade Negotiator and Vice
Minister (MOFTEC)

Hong Kong, China Mr Chau Tak Hay 19
Secretary for Trade and Industry

Indonesia HE Mr Rahadi Ramelan 09
Minister for Industry and Trade

Japan Hon Mr Kaoru Yosano 88
Minister of International Trade
and Industry

HE Mr Koichi Haraguchi
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs

Republic of Korea HE Mr Han Duck-Soo 13
Minister for Trade

Malaysia HE Tan Sri Asmat Kamaluddin 09
Secretary General, Ministry of
International Trade and Industry

Mexico Dr Luis Fernando de la Calle Pardo 08
Undersecretary for International Trade
Negotiations

New Zealand Hon Lockwood Smith PhD 22
(Chair) Minister for International Trade

Papua New Guinea Hon Ian Ling-Stuckey 06
Minister for Commerce and Industry

Peru HE Mr Alfredo Ferrero 12
Vice Minister of Integration and
International Trade Negotiations

Philippines HE Mr Jose Pardo 07
Secretary of Trade and Industry

Russia HE Mr Vladimir Karastin 02
Deputy Trade Minister

Singapore Brigadier General George Yeo 14
Minister of Trade and Industry

Chinese Taipei Hon Dr Chih-Kang Wang 17
Minister for Economic Affairs

Thailand Dr Supachai Panitchpakdi 08
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
Commerce

USA Amb Richard Fisher 23
Office of the US Trade Representative

Viet Nam HE Truong Dinh Tuyen 06
Minister of Trade

APEC Secretariat Amb Timothy Hannah 10
Executive Director

Amb Serbini Ali
Deputy Executive Director

ASEAN Dr Setboonsarng Suthad 03
Dep Secretary-General, ASEAN

PECC HE Mr Roberto R Romulo 03
Chair, PECC

SPF Hon Mr Willie Jimmy 02
Deputy Prime Minister & Minister for
Trade and Business Development
(Vanuatu)

"The 368 delegate turnout, and the fact that every economy is represented at a very high level, demonstrates the importance these economies give to the APEC process," Dr Smith said.

Dr Smith said that there had been personnel changes for four economies in the last few days. Malaysia, Peru, Russia and the United States would now be represented by Deputy Trade Ministers or Permanent Heads of the Trade Ministries.

"We can be confident that the meeting will contribute very positively to APEC's important long term goals." For personal reasons US Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky will not now be attending, but the presence of her two Deputies, Ambassadors Richard Fisher and Sue Esserman means that the US is still represented at the highest levels of Government.

ENDS

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