MAJOR RUBBER PRODUCERS TO MEET IN SINGAPORE
Officials from Indonesia, Malaysia,
Singapore and, perhaps, Thailand will meet here tomorrow to
discuss increased regional cooperation on rubber marketing and
ways to raise rubber prices, industry sources said.
    The officials will discuss linking rubber markets in the
four countries to improve price transparency, the sources said.
    This is the first time Indonesia is attending such a
meeting, they said, but representatives from Thailand may not
be able to attend because of their tight schedule. Malaysia,
Indonesia and Thailand account for 90 pct of world rubber
exports and Singapore is a major regional rubber trading
centre.
    The Malaysian Rubber Futures market, freighting and
contracts for rubber are among other issues expected to be
discussed.
    Last month, rubber importing and exporting countries
adopted a new International Natural Rubber Agreement in Geneva.
The new pact is more responsive to market trends than its
predecessor, the sources said, and earlier provisions allowing
the buffer stock to borrow from banks have been eliminated.
 REUTER
