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JEJU, June 2: Trade ministers from the 21-nation Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) met here Thursday for free trade talks as global trade negotiations falter amid conflicts of interest.
Organizers said the main agenda would include a fresh commitment by APEC to further trade liberalization under the Doha new round of free trade negotiations, as well as regional cooperation in trade and investment.
In 1994, APEC leaders at Bogor, Indonesia, set the goal of reaching a free trade and investment agreement by 2010 for developed economies and by 2020 for developing economies However, an official close to APEC said these targets look hard to meet.—AFP
