Comunidad del pacífico en perspectiva - Volumen 2

LA COMUNIDAD DEL PAciFICO EN PERSPECnVA I F. Orrega Jlicuña In existing regional institutions and one method oi initiating this involvement might be increased participation in PlIEC. 6. CONCLUSION This paper has sought to demonstrate not only Austra1la's particu– lar emphasis on the Pacifii:: Westem rim and the Asian Pacific re· gion, but also its interest in forgíng links with the whole oi the Pacific Basin. It does not attempt to cl'eate a scemlrio fol' the future course of events. In that respect it has simply considered a number oí disparate issues that seem to be of impol'tance and which in some way or other could impact on the future of Australia and other countries in the regíon. The importance of the oil situation cannot be over stressed_ It carries '\!vith it such risks that major efforts will have to be made by the oil-consuming countries of the world to reduce their ex– posure. In the absence of armed conflict on a major scale, the Pacifi<. Basin would seem to have every prospect of economic develop- .ment in the future. The area is rieh in resources, plentiful in manpower and flanked by two great industrial countries. Norma– lisation of relations with China will certainly add a new dimen– sion to its development. Conditions are, however, unlikely to remain stable and predic– tabIe. The stresses and strains now evident will not be easily 501- ved and others will develop as economies react to opportunity and changíng comparative advantage_ The developing countries wilI continue to voice their aspirations for rising living standards and the developed countries will have to respond in practicaI ways. Structural adjustments that will be required to the industries of the Pacific Basin will present problems of great complexity. It will be necessary to become accustomed to the idea that change in the Pacific Basin is tlie one thing that is inevitable. 86