Chamber plans to set up Asia office

THE International Chamber of Commerce is considering setting up an office in the region after complaints that it is too biased towards European and American members, the organisation's secretary-general says.

Mr Jean-Charles Rouher, who is based at the ICC's headquarters in Paris, said it wanted an ''advance post'', with Hongkong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur as candidates.

He said a decision would be made in 12 months, but warned: ''Our budget is not boundless.'' The ICC has class A consultative status at the United Nations and is active in many trade issues. It has progressed particularly in producing unified documentation for international trade.

A two-day strategy meeting got under way yesterday in Hongkong. It is looking at the chamber's position in Asia, following a similar meeting in Tokyo two years ago.

Among those who have complained that the ICC does not pay enough attention to the region is Mr Graham Hayward, honorary secretary-general of the Singapore Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry. He said yesterday that the chamber had ''been too Eurocentric in the past''.

Most of its important meetings take place in Paris, with a few in other European capitals.