BUSINESS BRIEFS
European, Asian ministers gather
Advertiser Staff and News Services
HAMBURG, Germany — Climate change, energy, closer trade ties and North Korea's nuclear weapons program will be high on the agenda at talks starting today among European Union and Asian foreign ministers.
The two-day Asia-Europe Meeting, or ASEM, comes just before a Group of Eight summit in Germany and offers the meeting's host, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, an opportunity to push China, India and other Asian nations to commit to reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
AIRLINE DEAL MAY BE SOUGHT
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand may seek an agreement with the Philippines to make it easier for airlines to operate between the countries, Prime Minister Helen Clark said.
Any agreement would be a boost for tourism, trade and the growing Filipino community in New Zealand, Clark said at a news conference in Wellington after talks with President Gloria Arroyo, who arrived for a three-day visit yesterday.
An agreement would allow Air New Zealand Ltd. and Philippine Airlines Inc. to fly directly between the two nations. Clark said talks faltered 10 years ago over whether the airlines could pick up passengers and take them to other destinations.
COPPER DEMAND EXCEEDS SUPPLY
SINGAPORE — Copper consumption beat production by about 51,000 metric tons in February as usage in China, the world's largest consumer, increased, the International Copper Study Group said.
Global demand in the first two months of 2007 grew 8.6 percent from the same period in 2006, the group said Friday.
World refined production was estimated at 1,396,000 tons, compared with usage of 1,447,000 tons, it said.
