| Mexico defended the rapid entry of Costa Rica and | | | | their expectations renewed, even though there is no |
| Colombia into APEC, after the moratorium on | | | | guarantee at this time that there will be new |
| expansion by the Forum expires next year, stressing | | | | developments next year. |
| that both countries are eligible for admission to the | | | | In recent years, mainly Colombia, but also Ecuador, |
| group. | | | | Costa Rica and Panama have shown their interest in |
| "I hope we welcome more countries from the | | | | joining APEC, which is comprised of 21 economies |
| Americas which have been able to develop in a major | | | | that represent 40% of the world's population and |
| way, such as Costa Rica and Colombia," said Mexican | | | | 54% of its GDP (Domestic Product Gross). |
| Secretary of the Economy, Gerardo Ruiz Mateos, at | | | | In that sense, Japan, which will host the next APEC |
| the annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic | | | | leaders' meeting in Yokohama in 2010, is preparing to |
| Cooperation Forum (APEC), which will close this | | | | take the issue of admitting new members to the |
| weekend with a summit of leaders from its 21 | | | | Forum as one of the main points of its secretariat |
| member economies. | | | | pro tempore, said Japanese officials. |
| Ruiz Mateos explained that Costa Rica and Colombia | | | | The Mexican official was even open to Latin |
| "are countries on the Pacific Ocean that have | | | | American countries whose governments reject |
| significant trade with Asian countries and which are | | | | commercial liberalism, such as Ecuador, being able to |
| not members of APEC because of the period of time | | | | join APEC, but he demanded a fulfillment of certain |
| there was," referring to the moratorium decreed in | | | | conditions in exchange. |
| 1997, which will run until next year. "Let's hope that | | | | "Any country which intends to have orderly trade, |
| APEC will more inclusive rather than exclusive in | | | | which has the ability to maintain investment |
| terms of new members," he added. | | | | protection agreements, which have the possibility of |
| "APEC has to be about countries that have access to | | | | keeping free trade agreements, which can provide |
| what defines the APEC name, which is the Pacific | | | | legal certainty for investment and trade between |
| Ocean. As long as more countries that meet these | | | | countries, should be included in APEC without thinking |
| characteristics can join APEC, trade will be greater," | | | | about who governs," he said. |
| he said. | | | | This push by Mexico for Costa Rica in APEC gives |
| With the end of the moratorium on admitting new | | | | the country more hope of joining an important world |
| members to APEC in 2010, Asian and Latin American | | | | forum. We will just have to wait and see whether it |
| countries that aspire to join the Forum have seen | | | | will be possible to make this happen. |