However, Crean who was in Solomon Islands on a day-long visit, said the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations agreement has its merits.
“It is designed not just to promote trade, but also to secure regional economic integration that promotes sustainable economic development in the region,” Crean said.
“It will also aid the region’s gradual and progressive integration into the international economy,” he added.
He said more negotiations will be made to draw up a road map as a follow-up to the Niue Forum leaders meeting last year.
The issue will be discussed in the upcoming Forum meeting in August in Australia.
Regional non-government organizations accused Australia and New Zealand of pushing regional countries to agree to PACER-Plus.
They said the agreement will only benefit Australia and New Zealand.
But Crean said Australia wants to see PACER-Plus benefits island countries and improve the capacity and skills of regional people.
He said partnership in trade liberalization is a way forward in this current situation to help expand trade and economic growth.
Crean cited the G20 as an example of how bigger nations are trying to move in partnership to sustain trade in the world.
He said during his trip to Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Samoa and Tonga he is holding discussions with his counterparts to explain more on PACER- Plus.
“Part of the difficulty is to clear the misconception about PACER-Plus.
“But if we could get the equation right it would work for us in the region,” he said.
Crean held discussions with Prime Minister Derek Sikua and Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade William Haomae.
While he did not reveal the outcome of the meetings he said, “it was a constructive meeting.”
Australian Parliamentary Secretary Bob McMullen, who accompanied Crean, said it is important for countries in the region to participate in global trade.
He urged the regional countries to take advantage of the opportunity to develop business and trade liberalization that will be created.
