President Yudhoyono to Hold Talks With Mexican Counterpart

Nusa Dua, Bali (Antara) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with his Mexican counterpart, Enrique Pena Nieto, on Sunday ahead of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit on Monday and Tuesday. The two leaders are also expected to witness the signing of memorandums of understanding between the two countries. Nieto and his wife, Angelica Rivera, arrived in Bali on Saturday for APEC Leaders Summit. Also on Sunday, Yudhoyono will open an APEC CEO Summit, attend the launch of UN Sustainability Development Solution Network (UN SDSN) and meet with a Hong Kong delegation. Twenty-one APEC members will take part in the 25th APEC Summit. They are Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Peru, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States, and Vietnam. Founded in 1989, APEC held its first summit in Australia. Indonesia once hosted an APEC Summit in Bogor in 1994 when APEC leaders were committed to achieving free and open trade and investment by 2010 for industrialized economies and by 2020 for developing economies. APEC members agreed to pursue this goal by further reducing barriers to trade and investment and by promoting the free flow of goods, services and capital. These targets became known as the "Bogor Goals," an ambitious manifestation of APEC's common belief that free and open trade and investment are essential to realize the growth potential of the region and enhance economic and social outcomes for all APEC economies.(*) Reporting by Muhammad Arief Iskandar (S012/Suharto)