Sure enough, even as they mouth warm words about the need to revive the Doha round, ministers are using the APEC meeting to launch, or in some cases complete, an array of bilateral deals.
Vaile said he hoped later on Saturday to conclude an Australian-Thai pact.
US President George W. Bush is expected to announce next week the start of talks with Thailand.
For its part, Japan is racing against the clock to bridge differences, mainly over pork tariffs, that are holding up a deal with Mexico and has said it would also like to launch talks soon with South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines.
RSS