BANGKOK/TOKYO – Representatives of Japan, the United States and three other countries briefly walked out of a meeting of Asia-Pacific trade ministers in protest against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Kyodo news agency quoted officials as saying on Friday.
The two-day meeting in Bangkok of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum will wrap up Sunday, with promotion of trade and investment in a post-COVID-19 world high on the agenda.
The coordinated walkout also involving Australia, Canada and New Zealand happened when Maksim Reshetnikov, Russia’s economic development minister, started delivering his remarks during a morning session, the Japanese officials said.
The delegations of the five countries left the room for about three minutes while the Russian minister spoke but returned to the table afterward, according to the officials.
As 21 economies forming the group, also including China and Indonesia, remain apart in their responses to Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, it remains unclear whether a joint statement will be issued by the ministers after the meeting.
Thai Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit, who heads the meeting, said he will issue a chairman’s statement if APEC cannot issue a joint communique.
“We hope that the outcome of this year’s APEC trade ministers’ meeting will play an important role in helping to determine the policy direction for the recovery and stimulation of regional economic growth in various areas in the post-COVID-19,” Jurin said earlier as he opened the meeting.
It was the first APEC trade ministers’ meeting held in person in three years, as restrictions associated with the coronavirus pandemic have eased.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Japan’s Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Koichi Hagiuda held talks with some of his counterparts, with the US-led Indo-Pacific economic framework possibly one of the major issues.
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