NEWS RELEASES
PETTIGREW TO DISCUSS NEW WORLD TRADE NEGOTIATIONS AT APEC MINISTERIAL
June 2, 2000 (3:00 p.m. EDT) No. 132
PETTIGREW TO DISCUSS NEW WORLD TRADE
NEGOTIATIONS AT APEC MINISTERIAL
International Trade Minister Pierre Pettigrew will encourage colleagues to move forward on
regional and multilateral trade liberalization during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC) Trade Ministerial Meeting in Darwin, Australia. The June 6 and 7 meeting is the largest
gathering of trade ministers since the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference
in Seattle.
"Strengthening the trade facilitation pillar of APEC is a key priority for Canada this year," said
Mr. Pettigrew. "We are also optimistic that APEC trade ministers will express support for a
launch of a new round of WTO negotiations. An endorsement from the diverse and important
membership of APEC would help build support for WTO negotiations worldwide," the Minister
added.
Mr. Pettigrew will also urge delegates to enhance the human dimension of APEC and promote
meaningful public engagement, which includes a Canadian initiative to establish an APEC youth
Web site. Canada and China will also discuss an initiative to hold an APEC youth conference in
China in 2001.
Minister Pettigrew is scheduled to hold several bilateral meetings with other APEC trade
ministers, including Shi Guangsheng, China's Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Co-operation; Takashi Fukaya, Japan's Minister for International Trade and Industry; Han Duck-soo,
Korea's Minister of Trade, and George Yong Boon Yeo, Singapore's Minister for Trade and
Industry. Mr. Pettigrew will also meet with Mike Moore, Director-General of the WTO.
While in Australia, the Minister also took the opportunity to lead a business delegation to
Melbourne and Sydney from May 29 to June 2 to boost trade and investment with Australia. The
trade mission resulted in $293.7 million in trade and investment deals.
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For further information, media representatives may contact:
Sylvie Bussières
Office of the Minister for International Trade
(613) 992-7332
Media Relations Office
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
(613) 995-1874
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