Bigger role for Pacific seen

Press, 31 January 1984, Page 23

Bigger role for Pacific seen

NZPA-AAP Davos, Switzerland Leading economic, business, and political leaders have indicated that the Pacific region will play a significant role in world economic recovery. The world leaders are gathered here at a meeting of the European Management Forum. The forum has drawn more than 600 business and political leaders from throughout the world, to discuss matters of common interest.

The world leaders said that world recovery is under way, but warned that it will require careful management. They said part of the recovery will see the centre of world economic development shift towards the

Pacific. Australia’s representative at the meeting, Senator John Button, the Minister for Industry and Commerce, said that throughout the forum he had gained “the impression that there is a great deal of interest in the Pacific region and that a number of people certainly see the Pacific area taking a more important role in world economic development.”

Those attending the meeting included the Canadian Prime Minister, Pierre Trudeau, the British Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Norman Tebbit, the Portuguese Prime Minister, Mario Soares, and the vicechairman of the State Economic Commission of the People’s Republic of China, Yuan Boahua.