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ASEAN

India to review sensitive list, says Nath
24-Aug-2006
Despite the tense negotiations behind doors, India said it will now study Asean’s sensitive list comprising 1,900 goods before pursuing its free trade negotiations with the 10-member grouping.
ASEAN, India agree to resume FTA talks
24-Aug-2006
ASEAN today requested that India make further tariff concessions in its list of goods and services offered under a beleaguered Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as the two sides agreed to resume FTA talks suspended by the 10-member grouping because of alleged lack of progress.
Korea, Thailand- rice issue not resolved
24-Aug-2006
Thailand and South Korea failed Thursday to reach an agreement in negotiations into the issue of rice trade between the two nations, impeding the implementation of a regional trade pact between Southeast Asia and Seoul.
US Trade Rep ’Cautiously Optimistic’ Of Mutually-beneficial FTA
24-Aug-2006
The US Trade Representative is "cautiously optimistic" that the US and Malaysia will be able to conclude a mutually-beneficial free trade agreement (FTA) during the remaining rounds of the negotiations despite the tight deadline.
Japan wins Asean support for Nikai initiative
23-Aug-2006
Japan won support from Asean Wednesday for a study into a free trade area in East Asia covering 16 countries but the grouping wants Tokyo to prioritise clinching a trade pact with it beforehand.
US trade chief comments on ASEAN pact
23-Aug-2006
The United States trade chief said Wednesday a trade pact to be signed with ASEAN nations this week is a great boost to economic relations, but she urged the bloc to do more to push Myanmar toward democracy.
Bi-Monthly Analysis of Regional Integration (BIMANORI) #1
23-Aug-2006
Nature abhors a vacuum, and so when regional organisations go making ostensibly grandiose claims that they will create a single currency, seek economic convergence, or establish an army, it is easy to speculate that these are not articulated outside a context.
Could US firms be left in the cold?
22-Aug-2006
US enterprises are chafing at the bit to get into Vietnam, yet many business heads are concerned that if Congress does not establish permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with their former foe, then firms from other countries will have a trade advantage.
US-Asean TIFA likely to be concluded
22-Aug-2006
The Asean-United States Trade Investment Framework Agreement (Tifa), which is likely to be concluded Friday, is a well-timed development given the growing trade and investment between the two, a US senior congressional aide said here Monday.
Asean can thwart economic hegemony through FTA, says Laos
21-Aug-2006
The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the six East Asean members as proposed by Japan can help thwart the rich nations’ economic hegemony in the region, said Laos Minister of Industry and Commerce Dr Nam Viyaketh.
’Pacts on services, investment should follow Asean FTA’
21-Aug-2006
Having submitted a revised offer to break the deadlock over the free trade negotiations with the Asean, India has now made clear that the pacts on services and investment will have to be implemented within a year of the implementation of the free trade agreement on goods.
Consider everyone’s interest in FTA, says Vietnam
21-Aug-2006
Vietnam wants ASEAN to weigh the interest of all its members before deciding on the Asean Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with its six East Asia partners, an official said Sunday.
Goff cautiously supports massive trade bloc plan
21-Aug-2006
Trade Minister Phil Goff is cautiously keen on a plan to create the world’s largest trading bloc which would include Asean members and New Zealand and Australia.
Must Asean be wary of FTAs while embracing them?
21-Aug-2006
While everybody has been rushing to ink Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), no thanks to the consistent failure in global trade talks, questions are raised as to whether its adverse consequences are being ignored.
India-ASEAN Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation (2003)
20-Aug-2006
US-ASEAN deal won’t address Myanmar
20-Aug-2006 Houston Chronicle
The United States will sign a pact with Southeast Asia next week to boost trade and investment, but the plan has been scaled down because of Myanmar, whose poor human rights record has hindered trade relations, officials said Saturday.
Japan draws up Nikai initiative to boost regional trade
20-Aug-2006 The Star
The Japanese private sector is pivotal in pushing the initiative, as they want to dangle what is undoubtedly a carrot for Asean countries to propel the proposed East Asia Free Trade Area (EAFTA).
Free trade pacts more dangerous than WTO - IBON
20-Aug-2006 IBON Foundation
In the wake of the collapse of the Doha talks in the World Trade Organization (WTO), negotiations for the Philippines to enter into an Asia-Pacific free trade agreement (FTA) have become more urgent for industrialized countries. But independent think-tank IBON Foundation warns that entering into an FTA could be even more dangerous than liberalization under the WTO.
India halves FTA exclusion list with Asean
20-Aug-2006
In what is seen as a dramatic move, India on Friday slashed its controversial exclusion list of products for tariff reduction from 850 to 560 to kick-start the recently-suspended negotiations on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Asean.
Labour & environmental issues in FTA talk, says NZ
20-Aug-2006 Bernama
Labour and environmental issues will still be included in the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiation between Australia, New Zealand and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a senior New Zealand trade official said.