TRADE MINISTERS MEETING A SUCCESSFUL DRY RUN

Last week's APEC Trade Ministers meeting was a highly successful "dry run" for the APEC Ministerial and Leaders" meetings in September, Foreign Affairs Minister Don McKinnon said today.

"The feedback I have heard suggests that from all standpoints - be it policy, organisation, or media coverage - the meeting went very well," Mr McKinnon said.

"Trade Ministers attending the meeting commented publicly and privately that the meeting had revitalised APEC, and they commended New Zealand's organisation.

"Transport systems worked well, accommodation allocations were fine, accreditation went without a hitch, and arrangements with outside suppliers went smoothly.

"This is a credit to the officials and contractors responsible for policy and logistics in the months of preparation leading to last week's meeting," Mr McKinnon said.

The Minister said that altogether 1148 delegates were registered for the meeting and associated meetings, giving Auckland hotels and other businesses a healthy mid-winter'shot in the arm".

The registrations, which largely did not overlap, included 447 for the Trade Ministers" Meeting, 383 for the Trade New Zealand APEC Business Symposium, 120 for the "Bridging the Gap" Seminar, and 138 for the APEC E-Commerce Working Group inaugural meeting.

In addition, 118 local and 38 overseas journalists, photographers and camera crew covered the meeting, from economies including Australia, Japan, Singapore, the Peoples Republic of China, Indonesia, the Philippines, and several international news agencies. Foreign editorial coverage of the meeting has generally been very positive.

"All in all, last week's experience, which served as a sort of 'dry run' for the event in September, suggests that our systems are on track for the much larger and more challenging task ahead, when about 7000 people are expected in Auckland at the peak period," Mr McKinnon said.