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ASEAN

India-Asean FTA hits fresh roadblock
20-Jun-2006 Times of India
The much touted India-Asean free trade agreement (FTA) is in a limbo with the 10-country trading bloc hardening its stance and seeking more concessions from India.
NZ, Australia should be patient over ASEAN trade deal : Singapore PM
20-Jun-2006 Antara
New Zealand and Australia will have to be patient over striking a free trade deal with ASEAN countries, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Monday.
Towards an East Asian economic unit
19-Jun-2006
The developments of recent years have led to an Asian resurgence, with the emergence of China and India as engines of growth, the recovery of Japan from a decade-old recession, rise of the Asian middle class as a source of final demand, and increasing resilience of Asian countries to external shocks such as oil price rises, etc. Over the past decade, Asian countries have also integrated themselves within the region, as evident from a high and growing proportion of intra-regional trade and investments. Besides growing economic inter-dependence, Asian countries also face shared vulnerabilities to external shocks and natural disasters.
FTA with Asean faces deadlock over tariff cuts
19-Jun-2006
Negotiations between India and Asean over the proposed Free Trade Agreement are deadlocked, with the latter now asking India to prune its list to just 60 items on which it will offer no tariff cuts. Asean has also rejected New Delhi’s offer for a Tariff Rate Quota on palm oil, tea and pepper.
ASEAN chief supports establishment of FTA in East Asia
15-Jun-2006 VNA
Visiting General Secretary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Ong Keng Yong has said that he supports a proposal by Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshihiro Nikai to establish a free trade area in East Asia and a regional policy coordinating organisation following the model of the Organisation of Economic and Cooperation Development.
India and free trade in Asia
14-Jun-2006
The joke in South Block nowadays is that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is ever so keen to visit Pakistan because he finds it easier to deal with General Pervez Musharraf than to deal with his Cabinet colleagues. If Mr Arjun Singh ambushed him and sent the entire country into a caste driven frenzy, one of his other Ministerial colleagues leaked the contents of a letter to the Prime Minister from Congress president Sonia Gandhi expressing concern over the free trade agreement that India had signed with its ASEAN partners.
Pak-Asean talks for FTA agreed
7-Jun-2006 Gulf Times
Pakistan and Association of the South East Asian Nations (Asean) yesteray agreed to begin talks for signing a free trade agreement (FTA), officials said.
Rice remains biggest hurdle to trade pact in Korea talks
26-May-2006 Bangkok Post
Thailand has reaffirmed that it did not sign the Asean-South Korean free trade agreement on goods because of rice. South Korea insisted on excluding rice under its sensitive list, but Thailand, the world’s largest rice exporter, demanded that it open up its local market.
Indo-Asean FTA set for Jan takeoff
22-May-2006 Economic Times
Here is the final word on the Indo-Asean free trade agreement (FTA) - bigger than any other trade pact that India has entered into so far.
New US-Asean trade framework ready soon
18-May-2006 Manila Times
The United States Trade Representative Office (USTR) said a trade and investment framework agreement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) would be concluded soon.
EU-Asia trade pact in prospect
17-May-2006 FT
The European Union is likely to decide by the end of the year whether to launch talks on a comprehensive trade agreement with south-east Asia, its first in Asia. The EU move is seen as a response to a widening web of bilateral deals being negotiated in the region by the US, China, Japan and Korea that threaten to sideline European economic interests.
Vulnerable stakeholders have to be protected
17-May-2006 Financial Express
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s letter to the PM on the possible downside of the India-Asean FTA has sparked off a debate. How far should India accommodate Asean’s interests?
Asean signs FTA with South Korea after Thailand opts out
16-May-2006 The Nation
South Korea signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Tuesday but founding member Thailand was left out due to internal disagreements and objections to Seoul’s barriers on farm products.
Myanmar an obstacle as EU pushes for FTA with Southeast Asia
16-May-2006 Today
The European Union wants to strike a free-trade agreement (FTA) with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), but human rights issues in Myanmar could be a problem, EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson has said.
Thailand to be left out of ASEAN FTA with S. Korea
15-May-2006
Thailand will not be included in a free trade agreement to be signed between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)and South Korea this week, the Philippine trade secretary said Monday.
ASEAN trade ministers meet to accelerate creation of European-style economic community
14-May-2006 Philippine Star
Southeast Asian trade ministers, pressured by China and India’s growing economic might, will gather this week in Manila to chart plans to accelerate their daunting ambition of creating a European-style economic community. They will also assess progress of ASEAN’s various free trade negotiations.
RI envisions free trade among D-8 member countries
12-May-2006 Jakarta Post
After breaking the ice by launching the preferential trade agreement among Developing Eight (D-8) countries, Indonesian Trade Minister Mari E. Pangestu envisions that the agreement would lead to a free trade arrangement for member countries in less than 15 years.
Free trade pact not to hurt farmers
9-May-2006
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has assured Congress president Sonia Gandhi that the proposed Indo-Asean free trade agreement (FTA) would not affect Indian farmers.
Free-trade agreement: Thailand rejects deal with South Korea
9-May-2006 The Nation
Thailand is the only Asean member not planning to sign the free-trade agreement (FTA) with South Korea and will thus lose export competitiveness, due to higher import tariffs.
Sonia’s ire on Indo-ASEAN free trade moves
7-May-2006
The Indian Government’s move to go in for more Free Trade Agreements with Asian countries has run into difficulties with Congress President Sonia Gandhi asking Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to "very carefully scrutinise" India-ASEAN FTA to safeguard interests of domestic farmers.