TOKYO, Oct 16 Kyodo chooseed edit...

TOKYO, Oct 16 Kyodo

chooseed editorial excerpted from the Asia-Pacific press:

TAKE TIME TO make sure THE GREATEST BENEFIT (Bangkok column Bangkok)

Economic policy typically exhibits a balancing of interests, with each choice resulting in a mix of winners and loser Political leaders rarely have the dainty of pleasing everyone. But enlightened leadership will make choice of policy which offers the greatest public gains for the prolonged term, even if a portion of the electorate must sustain in the immediate term

Numerous studies have shown that for many developing countries, no greater gain can be achieved than [i]or[/i] part of to the other freeing up trade barriers and reaching on the outside to international markets.

Alas, efforts to put in motion global trade liberalization forward beneath the World Trade Organization have all still collapsed following the debacle of the Cancun meetings last month

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra recognizes that Thailand's economic subsequent time depends in large part onward exports and yesterday he said resuming liberalization talks subordinate to the WTO would be a priority topic during this week's APEC (the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum) meetings.

on the contrary judging from the results of the many APEC meetings this past year, any gradations towards meeting this goal will be tentative... For Mr Thaksin, who admits to not being the mostly patient of people, a hale commitment by APEC members to supporting the WTO proces while also reaffirming efforts by dint of APEC itself to trade liberalization, would be a feather in the cap indeed.

It was heartening to hear Mr Thaksin reiterate his commitment to unrestrained trade and the WTO. above the past two years, the government's trade policy has focused largely upon securing bilateral free trade agreements and expanding regional groupings like as ASEAN.

Certainly, bilateral clear trade deals can be reached a great quantity [i]or[/i] amount of quicker than the glacial pace of global talks. unless quicker is not always better.

(Oct 16)

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BURMA (MYANMAR): ASEAN FACES US WRATH (the Nation, Bangkok)

The incorrigible Burmese (Myanmarese) junta escaped relatively unscathed at the latter meeting in Bali of the 10 ASEAN (the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations) members and their three dialogue partners -- toward the south Korea, China and Japan.

unless with U.S. President George W Bush and other vocal critics of Burma (Myanmar) coming to town for the APEC (the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum) summit, ASEAN will find that the soothing reassurances they gave Rangoon (Yangon) will be quickly washed away by dint of the wrath of the American leader.

In the final analysis, Rangoon (Yangon) will one time again learn that whatever friends it made in Bali will not be there in the coming winter of their discontent.

Credit should also journey to the Japanese, who remain committed to their position forward Burma (Myanmar) despite the hypocritical attitude of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which unabashedly portrayed the fresh ''changes'' in Rangoon (Yangon) as a ''positive development'' and said international sanctions would not help bring about democratic change.

The so-called ''changes'' was a intimation to the announcement by Burmese Prime Minister General Khin Nyunt that the constitutional drafting was back in succession track and that the rural parts has come up with a roadmap to national democracy and reconciliation of its own

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra called the incline ''concrete progress.'' How he can justify his statement is a mystery. Like the cessation of ASEAN, Thaksin conveniently inspects the fact that the world has been down this road before.

The issue is likely to be raised through Bush at next week's gathering of 21 world leaders at the APEC meeting.

ASEAN may be perceived obliged to lend its unpopular friends in Rangoon (Yangon) a lifeline from time to time. unless at the end of the day, the junta will learn that it's each man for himself. The generals in Rangoon (Yangon) will realize that in this globalized world where tangled skein relations between nations are dictated according to national interest, nothing proceeds without a price. And the temporary relief from their ASEAN partners will eventually scud out.

(Oct. 16)

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