MFA Press Release: Transcript of Doorstop Interview by Singapore Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo after the Informal Foreign Ministers' Meeting, 11 November 2009, Suntec City Convention Centre

TRANSCRIPT OF DOORSTOP INTERVIEW BY SINGAPORE MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS GEORGE YEO AFTER THE INFORMAL FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING, 11 NOVEMBER 2009, SUNTEC CITY CONVENTION CENTRE

Minister: We have just had an interesting informal working breakfast [among] APEC Foreign Ministers. This has become a tradition now at APEC meetings. It is not an APEC session, it is "offline". Since Foreign Ministers are in town it is a good opportunity for us to meet and discuss issues of common concern to us. It is wonderful and touching to see the way an Asia-Pacific community is now forming. Increasingly words describing the grouping as "a community", "a family", "growing affiliation", "growing affection for one another", "the importance of closing developmental gaps", "the importance of involving young people" and so on. Of course we discussed specific issues: the current economic crisis, the importance of macroeconomic coordination, reform of financial institutions, and most importantly, resisting protectionism. There is increasing protectionism now that is very dangerous. It is a slippery slope and if we are not careful, before we know it, all of us will be in much dire situation. We also talked about the regional architecture. Everyone agreed that APEC is very important to bring all four corners of the Pacific together and how it will help us secure another generation of peace which will make possible further development and economic progress for everybody. But by and large a very good meeting - intimate, informal and most Ministers were quite happy to speak not from prepared scripts but from the heart.

Question: So what did the Ministers discussed about the economic crisis? Do they think that it is over?

Minister: No, the consensus is that this is by no means over. The upturn that we now have is a respite. The situation is still fragile and we should still address the root causes of the problem.

Question: What about the specifics of post-recovery strategies? Is that discussed?

Minister: No, we discussed the economic challenges in general but we affirmed the importance of the G-20 process and the importance of APEC working together with the G-20 because it is only a few weeks since the meeting in Pittsburgh. Ten of the leaders who were in Pittsburgh are now here in Singapore and in a few months' time, they will be meeting in Canada, and after that in Korea and back to Japan for the next APEC leaders meeting. It is very important that APEC, [which] makes up more than half the world's economy, and the G20 should work closely together.

Question: Were the Thai and Cambodian Ministers talking?

Minister: No, the Cambodia Minister is not here.

Question: Oh, I am so sorry.

Question: Any reform? Any reform on APEC?

Minister: Reform on APEC? Oh, we did discuss the architecture; we discussed its evolving nature, on how it should be "relayed" to various other regional organisations, but only in a general sense.

Question: And on Climate Change, Sir? [Minister: I'm sorry?] On Climate change, anything on that?

Minister: Climate change was raised by many Ministers, the importance of a good outcome in Copenhagen, and how necessary it is for us to address it with some urgency. The Chilean Foreign Minister made a very interesting point that they are now growing good vines, good grapes much further south than traditional areas because of global warming.

Question: Did the Minister from South Korea talk about the naval incident with North Korea yesterday?

Minister: No, he did not.

Question: The US Secretary of State, was she involved in the informal meeting?

Minister: Oh yes, she was.

Question: What was it [her intervention]?

Minister: She made an intervention, and she stressed the importance of closing the developmental gap, she raised, in particular, the importance of keeping an eye on food security because that is so fundamental.

Question: Minister, did you talk about international issues like Myanmar or North Korea during breakfast?

Minister: Myanmar and North Korea were touched in passing - that if we do not look after those who are left behind, then their problems become our problems and their travails may infect all of us - so the importance of always keeping an eye out for those who are not progressing as fast as others.

Question: You spoke strongly about protectionism but what measures were proposed to prevent it from becoming a major problem?

Minister: We talked about Doha. We talked about the regional Free Trade Initiatives. We talked about the Free Trade Area in Asia Pacific - the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and various other initiatives, to keep pushing forward the trade liberalisation agenda. This is one area where if you do not move forward, you are likely to lose balance and either fall sideways or go backwards. Thank you very much.

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