APEC to focus on trade liberalisation: PM

Removing barriers to businesses operating across the Asia-Pacific should be the key
focus of Sunday's final day of APEC talks, Prime Minister Julia Gillard says.
Ms Gillard spent the day in discussions with other leaders at the Asia Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Yokohama, including her first formal talks
with US President Barack Obama.
She told reporters in Yokohama on Saturday night she expected APEC to continue its
work on trade liberalisation, but also expand into "behind the border issues".
Many businesses were frustrated by different sets of rules and regulations across
the region, making it difficult to invest and trade.
"This is important for Australia because APEC economies account for two-thirds of
Australia's two-way trade in goods and one in five jobs relate to trade," she said.
Ms Gillard said examples of barriers included different heavy vehicle safety
standards, mobile phone global roaming costs and allowing professionals such as
accountants to have their qualifications recognised across the region.
The prime minister said the leaders were also working through the outcomes of the
G20 meeting that wrapped up on Seoul on Friday, delivering a new structure for the
IMF, a framework for global growth and new financial rules for banks.
But she said she understood that some leaders would find it hard to commit to
reform, given they have pressures at home such as high unemployment and cuts to
government services.
"What I would like to see out of the meeting is that ... we commit to stay the
course on trade liberalisation and reaffirm our commitment to not succumb to
protectionism," she said.
APEC leaders are also expected to commit to a five-pronged strategy for growth over
the next five years.
Having been overseas for a string of summits in recent weeks, Ms Gillard said there
was value in them because they brought leaders to the same table.
"Difficulties are alwaysimproved by having an opportunity to sit and talk it
through," she said.
"That doesn't mean that the talking is easy ... the alternative is to have these
tensions and have no moment where the principal players come together to talk them
through."
In keeping with the sober issues on the table, the Japanese hosts have decreed that
the leaders won't be donning the traditional colourful garb for their group
photograph on Sunday. The leaders have been told instead the dress code is "smart
casual".