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Food-safety dispute stalls trade agreement
24-Jan-2006
The U.S.-Central American Free Trade Agreement that was supposed to take effect Jan. 1 is being held up by the U.S. because some of the countries involved have yet to recognize U.S. meat-inspection procedures as valid.
Government to go ahead with Thai-US FTA talks
24-Jan-2006
The government will go ahead with its negotiations with the United States on the proposed Thai-US Free Trade Area (FTA) Agreement, Thai Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon reaffirmed here on Tuesday.
United States planning more free-trade negotiations in 2006
24-Jan-2006 Washington File
The Bush administration hopes to initiate more free-trade agreement (FTA) negotiations in 2006, possibly with South Korea and Malaysia, US Trade Representative Rob Portman says.
Time to put a US-South Korea free trade agreement on the fast-track agenda
23-Jan-2006 Heritage Foundation
A memo from the ultra-conservative Heritage Foundation.
USTR cites needs for agricultural tariff cuts in Korea
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).
Powerful NGO wants open talks
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.
Value pact over quota
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.
‘Thaksinisation’ strains Thai-US relations
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.
Free trade and movies
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.
Investment treaty: Pakistan, US fail to make progress
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.
Oman pact boosts US agenda in the Middle East
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.
Korea-US trade talks could start soon
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.
Peru endorsed Miami as site of free trade pact secretariat
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.
Morales not opposed to US trade deal
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.
Korea seeks screen quota reduction
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.
US signs trade pact with Oman, keeps Egypt on hold
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.
US free-trade deal on shaky ground
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.
Egypt-US free trade deal at risk: US official
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.
S. Korea seeks FTA with US
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.
Nitya to stay on for ’sake of the nation’
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.