SYDNEY, Sept 5: India is among a dozen nations set to remain out in the cold after foreign and trade ministers of the Asia-Pacific grouping declined on Wednesday to discuss expanding the 21-member club, an official said.

India believes its geographical location, trade and investment interaction and the size of its economy all serve to strengthen its bid to join the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, which was set up in 1989.

Backed by Australia, which is hosting this year’s APEC summit, it has been knocking on the door of the forum for years and had been hoping the end of a 10-year moratorium on new members from 1997 would help its case.

But a Japanese official said the ministers decided to take no action.

“I understand the chair concluded that the status quo should be maintained for the membership issue,” Japanese foreign ministry spokesman Mitsuo Sakaba told reporters.

The ministers were asked to express their views on admitting new members.

However, “no hands were raised for speaking on this matter,” effectively shelving any decision.

The lack of enthusiasm was consistent with what APEC senior officials had recommended in preparatory meetings earlier this week, when they proposed the body should first consolidate its existing work before any enlargement.

Potential APEC candidates include failed applicants from before -- India, Colombia, Ecuador, Macau, Mongolia, Pakistan, Panama and Sri Lanka -- as well as Southeast Asian countries Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.

The club already includes the likes of Australia, China, Japan, Russia and the United States.

The other members are: Brunei, Canada, Chile, Hong Kong, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.—AFP