De Venecia asks APEC not to bypass small island nations

Former House Speaker Jose de Venecia has asked the nations of the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference (APEC) not to bypass the small Pacific island states when discussing "trans-Pacific strategy in the 21st century."

Addressing the 51-nation Federation of Island Nations for World Peace in Seoul, De Venecia said the APEC and globalization "must not ignore the 16 small island nations of the Pacific."

"The island states are under continuing threat of hunger, poverty and unemployment. It is not right that APEC, led by the US, Japan and the Asian economic tigers, should meet every year without inviting or even including the small Pacific and Caribbean island nations as observers," he said.

The former speaker said the 16 small island nations of the Pacific, six small island nations from Africa, three from Europe, and the 13 islands of the Caribbean should form a grand alliance and coalesce with large island nations to protect and advance their interests.

De Venecia is the national chairman of the former ruling Philippine party, Lakas-NUCD, and vice president of the CDI-Christian Democrat and People's Parties International, which represents more than 100 political parties from 80 countries.

Other speakers in the conference included Indonesian President Abdur-rahman Wahid, former US Vice President Dan Quayle, former British Premier Ted Heath, former Seychelles President James Mancham, Marshall Islands First Lady Mary Note, and former Solomon Islands Prime Minister Billy Hilly.

De Venecia urged the small states to use variations of Singapore and Ireland as models of development.

He explained that official development assistance and the legislature of the small states must appropriate significant amounts for computer education and information technology like the two countries.