日米など５カ国、ロシア発言時に退席　経産相「抗議の意思」―ＡＰＥＣ貿易相会合

　【バンコク時事】日米中ロなど環太平洋の２１カ国・地域が参加するアジア太平洋経済協力会議（ＡＰＥＣ）貿易相会合が２１日午前（日本時間同）、タイ・バンコクで開幕した。ロシアのレシェトニコフ経済発展相が発言した際、萩生田光一経済産業相とタイ米通商代表部（ＵＳＴＲ）代表のほか、カナダ、オーストラリア、ニュージーランドの計５カ国の出席者が退席した。
　取材に応じた萩生田氏は「（ロシアのウクライナ侵攻への）抗議の意思を示した」と述べた。
　ロシアと、同国のウクライナ侵攻に反発する日米などとの対立が改めてあらわになった格好だ。貿易相会合で全会一致が必要な共同声明の採択ができるかどうかは不透明な状況となってきた。（2022/05/21-22:05）

Representatives of five countries including Japan and the United States walked out of a trade ministers' meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum that started in Bangkok on Saturday, in protest of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
   The trade chiefs from the five countries, also including Canada, Australia and New Zealand, staged the walkout when Russian Economic Development Minister Maksim Reshetnikov made remarks during the first-day discussions of the two-day APEC meeting.
   "We expressed our protest" against Russia's aggression toward Ukraine, Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Koichi Hagiuda told reporters. U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai was also among those who walked out of Saturday's talks.
   It is now uncertain whether the trade ministers of the 21 APEC member economies will be able to adopt a joint statement, which needs to be unanimously approved, to wrap up their two-day discussions.
   At the meeting, the trade ministers are expected to affirm cooperation in restoring the freedom of movement of people within the APEC region so that member countries and regions can achieve an economic recovery following the novel coronavirus pandemic.