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ASEAN

‘Indonesia has not expressed interest in FTA’
11-Nov-2009
Indonesia and the European Union signed a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) on Monday that will bring Southeast Asia’s largest economy and the largest regional grouping in the world under one umbrella for cooperation on the economy, environment, education, human rights and democracy.
Australia-Malaysia FTA Should Be Comprehensive - Envoy
3-Nov-2009
Australia is looking forward to a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA) with Malaysia but has set no timeframe to conclude negotiations on it.
Fishworkers call for march to Parliament on November 11, 2009 against ASEAN-India FTA
27-Oct-2009 KSMTF
The anger among the Fishworkers, in the face of such a monstrous Agreement, was elaborated by T. Peter (President, KSMTF): “The Fishing Community in Kerala will take all measures to stop this agreement, and will physically prevent any vessel carrying fish from the ASEAN nations from entering Cochin Harbour”.
ASEAN FTA: CM demands apology from Union ministers
26-Oct-2009
Accusing Union ministers from Kerala and Opposition Leader Oommen Chandy of "misleading" the public on the Free Trade Agreement with ASEAN countries, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan today demanded an apology from them.
Taiwan, Hong Hong, Macao companies seek new chances as CAFTA approaches
26-Oct-2009
Companies from China’s Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao tried to seek new chances at China-ASEAN Expo as the operation of China-ASEAN free trade area (CAFTA) approaches.
Thailand’s demand to cut RP rice tariffs amid calamity insensitive, highlights dangers of free trade deals
26-Oct-2009 IBON Foundation
Research group IBON called insensitive the Thai government’s demand to cut import tariffs on rice, especially since the country is still reeling from the recent typhoon disasters and its food security is threatened. It also highlights the dangers of entering into free trade agreements, which leaves the country no room to maneuver its policies on agriculture and industries.
Is the US ready to challenge China’s Asean influence?
25-Oct-2009 The Irawaddy
Proposals by a prominent Washington senator to push the US government into a free trade agreement with Asean may be no more than a political prod to get President Barack Obama more engaged in Southeast Asia.
ASEAN to study free trade pact: officials
25-Oct-2009 AFP
East Asian nations (ASEAN+3: China, Japan, Korea) are to carry out a feasibility study for a huge free trade zone, officials said at a summit Saturday. A separate study for a wider economic partnership also covering India, Australia and New Zealand (ASEAN+6) would be carried out in tandem.
Govt to address plantation growers’ woes on FTA
23-Oct-2009 Hindu Businessline
Grievances of plantation growers over India agreeing to cut duties on import of pepper, black tea, coffee and palm oil will be addressed by a Ministers’ panel next week, an official said.
Look East policy comes of age
21-Oct-2009
This is an important week for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Over the weekend, at the Fourth East Asia Summit in Thailand, he will witness the final fruition of the second most important foreign policy initiative he took during his first term in office — the India-Asean Free Trade Agreement.
Giant new Asian trade deal on agenda
21-Oct-2009
Prime Minister John Key will discuss a new Asia-wide trade agreement in Thailand this weekend.
US eyes free trade pact with SE Asia countries
11-Oct-2009 Arab Times
The United States is beginning to lay the initial groundwork for talks to forge a free trade agreement with Southeast Asia, ahead of President Barack Obama’s maiden trip to the region.
Lugar to introduce legislation on free trade with ASEAN
11-Oct-2009
An influential Republican Senator has announced to introduce a legislation in US Senate next week for free trade agreement negotiations between the United States and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
India, Thailand set to expand FTA
8-Oct-2009
Enthused by the likely gains from the recently signed ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), India and Thailand are all set to expand their FTA pact beyond goods to new areas of services and investments with focus on further consolidating their economic ties.
Indonesia Seeks Opportunity From Expanding Asean, Bilateral FTAs
5-Oct-2009
Indonesia is upbeat on its growing trade with China, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand following plans to set up Free Trade Area (FTA) pacts with those countries under the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (Asean) agreement and by bilateral agreements, a senior official at the Indonesian Trade Ministry said here on Monday.
CPM forms human chain in Kerala over FTA with ASEAN
5-Oct-2009 Stockwatch
CPM chooses a unique way to express its reservation over Free Trade Agreement with ASEAN in Kerala. The party activists formed a 550 km human chain on a rainy Friday evening to register their protest against the pact scheduled to be effective from January, 2010.
The iniquitous perils of the free trade pact
5-Oct-2009
Kerala’s rubber sector, in particular, will vanish if the free import of rubber from outside India under the FTA is allowed. Pepper, coconut, plantation products and similar commodities which form the backbone of Kerala’s economy will die, too.
‘FTA with Asean won’t hit fisheries’
4-Oct-2009
Amid criticism by political rivals and apprehensions that the recently signed free trade agreement (FTA) with the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) would be detrimental to India’s agricultural and fisheries sectors, the government today said such fears had no basis.
Kerala ready for massive rally to oppose Asean-India FTA
2-Oct-2009 Bernama
"We are apprehensive about the agreement with Asean. This agreement is not going to protect Kerala farmers. Majority of our farmers survive on small scale farming and they can’t compete when the markets open up," Kerala’s Agriculture Minister Mullakkara Ratnakaran told Bernama in a telephone interview Thursday.
Centre counters anti-FTA campaign
1-Oct-2009 The Hindu
In a rare move, India’s Union government has launched an ‘Appeal to the People of Kerala’ advertisement campaign to counter the ‘false propaganda’ against the Indo-ASEAN free trade agreement.