23-Jan-2006
Yonhap
US Trade Representative Rob Portman said South Korean farmers’ protests are not expected to affect efforts to start negotiating a free trade agreement (FTA).
23-Jan-2006
The Nation
Thailand’s National Human Rights Commission yesterday asked the government to suspend talks on a free-trade agreement with the United States and to disclose what is being negotiated.
22-Jan-2006
Work on talks for a free trade pact between Korea and the United States has been accelerating since President Roh Moo-hyun’s New Year’s address. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade recently announced it would hold a public hearing early next month to gather opinions on such a pact. Accordingly, the government is likely to soon declare the start of negotiations with Washington.
22-Jan-2006
The Nation
When Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra went to Washington DC last September to meet President George W Bush, they agreed that the Thai-US free-trade agreement (FTA) would be completed by this June. At a subsequent meeting with Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, he also asked for US assistance in southern Thailand. Obviously there was a clear link between the trade and defence policies of the two countries.
22-Jan-2006
The government is hurrying to conclude a free trade agreement with the United States before June 2007 at the latest. It appears natural for Korea to facilitate the FTA process with America, the world’s largest economy and Seoul’s greatest ally. The biggest stumbling block is the screen quota, a protective device for the domestic film industry, or so says Washington.
21-Jan-2006
Dawn
Pakistan and United States on Friday concluded the fourth round of talks on the proposed Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT), which remained inconclusive due to differences on some clauses of the agreement.
21-Jan-2006
IPS
The Bush administration is pushing a spate of free trade agreements with its allies in the Middle East that mostly lack input from marginalised local communities or civil society groups.
21-Jan-2006
donga.com
Trade Minister Kim Hyun-jong said in a news conference Friday, “It remains to be seen whether the upcoming international economic ministers’ meeting scheduled for February 2 will decide to begin Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations.” Current Korean FTA regulations stipulate that an international economic ministers’ meeting shall make decisions on whether to start FTA negotiations after taking public opinion into consideration at a public hearing.
21-Jan-2006
Miami Herald
President Alejandro Toledo endorsed Miami as the headquarters for a proposed free trade secretariat as Florida Gov. Jeb Bush completed a two-day trade visit to Ecuador and Peru.
21-Jan-2006
AP
Backing away from his tough campaign talk against US-sponsored trade initiatives, Bolivian President-elect Evo Morales said Friday he no longer rules out a free-trade deal with the United States and three other Andean nations. But he did not say he supported such a deal, either.
20-Jan-2006
The government Friday launched a campaign to reduce the screen quota in exchange for starting bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) talks with the United States.
19-Jan-2006
Reuters
The United States signed a free-trade agreement on Thursday with Oman, a moderate Gulf state and ally in the US war on terrorism, while keeping trade talks with Egypt on hold amid concerns over its commitment to democracy.
19-Jan-2006
swissinfo
The prospect of a Swiss-US free-trade accord is in doubt, mainly due to differences over agriculture, according to Swiss Economics Minister Joseph Deiss.
19-Jan-2006
AFP
Egypt risks missing its chance to clinch a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States if talks do not kick off in the coming weeks, an official with the US Congress said.
19-Jan-2006
UPI
South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun said Wednesday he would push for a free-trade agreement with the United States as early as possible.
19-Jan-2006
Bangkok Post
The head of the Thai team negotiating a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States, Nitya Pibulsonggram, has been persuaded to remain in the ’’thankless job’’, sources said yesterday.
18-Jan-2006
Bangkok Post
Nit Pibulsongkram is to resign as head of the Thai team negotiating a free-trade agreement with the United States because of the tremendous political pressure weighing on him, according to a source at Government House.
17-Jan-2006
Dow Jones
Colombia and Ecuador will set a common position in negotiations with the US on a free trade agreement, the presidents of both countries said Monday in a press conference.
17-Jan-2006
The Shinawatra family’s reported plan to sell off its stake in Shin Corp Plc to Singapore’s Temasek Holdings might complicate the Thai-US free trade talks and stall negotiations.
17-Jan-2006
The Cabinet has agreed in principle for Malaysia and the US to begin discussions towards forging a free trade agreement (FTA) as and when both sides are ready.
