All members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) had announced their full support for Vietnam to join World Trade Organization, Deputy Foreign Minister Le Cong Phung informed Vietnamese mass media yesterday.
Phung, who is attending this year event in Busan, South Korea, also informed that those member countries supported a proposal of Vietnam to host a meeting for health ministers because of a possible worldwide avian influenza pandemic in animals and humans.
The suggestion will be submitted to APEC Inter-ministerial Conference for approval.
Besides, APEC’s member highly praised preparatory activities of Vietnam for the next summit in Hanoi in 2006, and pledged to help Vietnam organize the event.
The two important caucuses for heads of state will take place from November 18-19.
The first session will focus on four major issues, including the Doha round, Bogor Goal execution review, trade agreement discussion and economic-technical cooperation.
The second one will discuss the anti-terrorism fight, human security, bird flu prevention, natural disasters and anti-corruption.
Earlier, the Busan summit was considered an important opportunity for Vietnam to bilaterally meet with WTO’s partners and call for support for its bid to join WTO.
Vietnam joined APEC in 1998 and the country has received US$2 million in aid from the APEC framework of economic and technical co-operation.
Many members of the organization have become important partners of Vietnam, including Japan, China and the US. Mutual trade revenue with the bloc accounts for 70 per cent of the export income of Vietnam.
The country is now also busy preparing for next event in 2006 held in capital of Hanoi.
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