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Swiss minister promises a favour
23-Jul-2006 The Star
Switzerland’s Economics Minister, Joseph Deiss, led a business delegation comprised of senior officials from Novartis, Credit Suisse, SACC and Economy Swiss, to Malaysia.
Still no deal to get Russia into WTO
19-Jul-2006 San Francisco Chronicle
The United States is the sole remaining large WTO member that hasn’t signed a bilateral pre-admission deal with Russia.
Local drug makers may lose out under US FTA
17-Jul-2006 The Edge Daily
Malaysia’s generic drug manufacturers might find it more difficult to conduct business if the US’ negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) are influenced by the strong US pharmaceutical lobby there.
FTA to herald new era of partnership between EU and GCC
15-Jul-2006 MENAFN
The EU-GCC free trade agreement will open a new era of economic, trade, investment and commercial activities between the two blocs, a top French envoy in the Kingdom told Bahrain Tribune.
CII working out guidelines for FTAs
10-Jul-2006
Apex chamber Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is working on a set of industry recommendations to come up with guidelines for signing Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). The WTO and other Trade Agreements Committee of the chamber is finalising the recommendations which will be submitted to the government within a month.
FTA With M’sia Will Benefit American Companies, Says US Diplomat
3-Jul-2006
A US-Malaysia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will provide a strategic foothold for US companies in Malaysia’s growing high technology, telecommunications and financial services sectors, says a US diplomat.
Trading on terror to profit a few
26-Jun-2006
Even as Congress has finally begun a serious debate about whether U.S. troops should be withdrawn from Iraq, another part of President Bush’s "war on terror" is advancing with far less public fanfare. Last month, the Senate Finance Committee approved the implementation of the U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement and cleared the way for its consideration by Congress.
As US-Korea trade talks begin, Sughrue Mion helps Korean pharmaceutical companies enter US markets
21-Jun-2006
Sughrue Mion PLLC, a leading global intellectual property law firm, announced today that the firm continues to see a strong interest from Korean pharmaceutical companies in understanding the US patent system. As talks kicked-off last week in what is expected to be a fast-tracked bilateral trade agreement between the US and the Republic of Korea, protection of intellectual property and the ability to compete effectively in the US market are even more important.
Korean, US business leaders vow to support FTA
21-Jun-2006
Korea and US business leaders agreed Wednesday to push for the completion of a free trade agreement between Korea and the US. But at the 19th Korea-US Business Council meeting in Seoul, the two sides failed to see eye to eye on some key issues, especially whether products made in the inter-Korean Kaesong Industrial Complex should be included and whether Koreans should be granted a visa waiver in the US.
US ’behind’ WHO official’s ouster
21-Jun-2006 Bangkok Post
Washington was behind the abrupt removal of a World Health Organisation representative to Thailand after he wrote of possible adverse impacts to Thailand of a free trade agreement with the US, a source said yesterday.
Korea, US call for win-win free trade
20-Jun-2006
In a welcoming speech at an evening reception in Seoul Tuesday, ahead of the 19th Korea-U.S. Business Council meeting, top businesspeople and government officials from Korea and the United States heard Hyosung Group, and council joint-chairman Cho Suck-rai, stress the importance of a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries.
USKBC/AMCHAM Korea position paper on US-Korea free trade agreement
20-Jun-2006 AMCHAM Korea
US-Korea Business Council and American Chamber of Commerce Korea position paper on the US-Korea FTA.
AMCHAM Malaysia/US Chamber of Commerce public submission for the proposed US-Malaysia free trade agreement
20-Jun-2006
A 98-page outline of US industry recommendations for the proposed US-Malaysia FTA.
BIO letter to USTR on US-Korea FTA
20-Jun-2006
Letter from the US Biotechnology Industry Organisation to the US Trade Representative on intellectual property, GM labelling, biosafety, GM contamination and other issues BIO wants addressed under the US-Korea FTA talks.
BIO letter to USTR on US-Malaysia FTA
20-Jun-2006
Letter from the US Biotechnology Industry Organisation to the US Trade Representative on intellectual property, GM labelling, biosafety, GM contamination and other issues BIO wants addressed under the US-Malaysia FTA talks.
Korea-US Business Council meets Tuesday
19-Jun-2006
The Korea-U.S. free trade agreement will top the agenda in talks of the 19th Korea-US Business Council meeting starting Tuesday in Seoul for two days, according to the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI).
US-Jordan free trade agreement descends into human trafficking
19-Jun-2006 NLC
Tens of thousands of foreign guest workers are stripped of their passports, trapped in involuntary servitude, sewing clothing for Wal-Mart, Gloria Vanderbilt, Target, Kohl’s, Thalia Sodi for Kmart, Victoria’s Secret, L.L.Bean and others.
World health: A lethal dose of US politics
17-Jun-2006 Asia Times
An Asia Times Online investigation reveals that at the time of his death, World Health Organization (WHO) director general Lee Jong-wook, a South Korean national, had closely aligned himself with the US government and by association US corporate interests, often to the detriment of the WHO’s most vital commitments and positions.
Japan Inc smitten by Vietnam
15-Jun-2006 Asia Times
Japanese firms’ investment spree in Vietnam comes amid an increasing number of free-trade agreements (FTAs) being concluded or negotiated in East Asia.
Bilderbergers slither away
15-Jun-2006 Tehran Times
Sources say Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s challenge to the Free Trade Area of the Americas was on the top of the agenda of the Bilderberg Group meeting in Canada last week.