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PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM SECRETARIAT Suva, Fiji Islands

PRESS STATEMENT February 28, 2001

A Working Party of senior trade officials from the 16-member Pacific Islands Forum has ended its two-day meeting in Nadi, Fiji.

The Working Party met to discuss an architecture for including Australia and New Zealand in a Forum wide trade agreement. It recommended that this be done through an 'Umbrella Agreement'.

The Umbrella Agreement would set the foundation for current and future trade and economic cooperation amongst Forum members. It would aim to encourage consultation, transparency, and fairness in its implementation, and would be designed to allow for maximum flexibility in future developments.

The Umbrella Agreement would not be a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), but would allow for the conclusion of such agreements between members. The Working Party also recommended that in the first instance, in parallel with the Umbrella Agreement negotiation,...

NOUMÉA, New Caledonia (February 27, 2001 - Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat)---Concerns about mad cow disease in Europe have forced New Caledonia to consider only importing beef from New Zealand and Australia.

A majority of beef products imported into New Caledonia comes from France and other European countries.

French territory officials say the government will increase screening meat products from countries that are not able to produce evidence that they are exempt from mad cow disease.

The ban on all meats from Europe would still permit importation of Australian and New Zealand products.

Sally Mansfield, Australia’s Counsel General in New Caledonia, says the French territory began looking closely at the issue late last year.

She says shoppers at supermarkets will certainly feel the affects of such a ban.

"A great percentage of beef food products that come into New Caledonia come from Europe," she says.

Mansfield says New Caledonia’s...

CANBERRA, Australia (February 28, 2001 – Radio Australia)---Government ministers from Australia and Papua New Guinea are emphasizing progress made during Bougainville disarmament talks, despite failure to reach agreement.

At the end of an Australia-Papua New Guinea Forum in Canberra, both countries say the fact that the former adversaries plan to continue negotiations next month is significant in itself.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer also says Australia is supportive of the proposed Papua New Guinea-to-Queensland gas pipeline, but won't offer extra funding for the project.

Papua New Guinea Foreign Minister Bart Philemon assured the forum of his government's commitment to economic reform despite recent setbacks.

"We will not depart from that program and we have reached an understanding with the World Bank on that basis and we're happy to say that we are back on track and we will continue with the programs," he said.

PEACE...

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (February 28, 2001 - Post-Courier/PINA Nius Online)---Air Niugini will try out two new planes as possible replacements for the F28 jets currently in use.

Test flights are being made from Port Moresby by the aircraft’s manufacturer, Bombardier Aerospace of Canada, with invited guests,

Air Niugini official Eva Arni said one of the planes was a 70-seat Dash 8 (400 series) and the other a CRJ 700, a 70-seat twin jet.

For additional reports from The Post-Courier, go to PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT News/Information Links: Newspapers/The Post-Courier (Papua New Guinea).

Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) Website: http://www.pinanius.org