Closer Working Relationship To Be Established Between OECD and APEC Executives

Senior executives of the APEC Secretariat and the OECD met this week to strengthen links between the two organisations and identify means to build a closer working relationship. The meeting took place during the OECD-APEC Digital Economy Forum currently taking place in Hawaii.

OECD Deputy Secretary General, Mr Herwig Schlögl, and APEC Executive Director, Ambassador Piamsak Milintachinda, have proposed a number of measures to share economic information and research.

"APEC and the OECD have already undertaken a number of joint initiatives," said Ambassador Piamsak Milintachinda.

"The success of the recent APEC-OECD cooperation on Regulatory Reform, SMEs and the Digital Economy are examples of us working together in areas where we share similar objectives.

"Mr Schlögl has offered the APEC Secretariat the opportunity to participate in activities organised by the OECD including its Global Fora program and this is most welcome.

"For our part, the APEC Secretariat is planning to establish an OECD liaison point within the Secretariat to facilitate the systematic exchange of information between our two organisations.

"Much of the economic analysis and reporting published by the OECD is very useful to APEC's work. I am also confident the OECD will be able to make use of the research on the Asia-Pacific region that is conducted by APEC fora.

"Closer links between both organisations will avoid resource wastage and work duplication.

"In our meeting Mr Schlögl said he looked forward to APEC's participation at the OECD SME Ministerial Meeting to be held in Istanbul in June 2004.

"Strengthening SMEs and news growth enterprises is one of the key themes of the 2003 APEC year. We look forward to again participating on projects and programs with the OECD."

During Ambassador Piamsak Milintachinda's attendance at the OECD-APEC Digital Economy Forum he also met United States Federal Trade Commissioners, Orson Swindle and Mozelle Thompson.

Commissioner Swindle offered to assist APEC to implement its programs in areas such as cyber security and on-line consumer protection.

Commissioner Thompson discussed preparations for the APEC On-line Privacy Workshop to be held in Chiang Rai, Thailand on 14 February.