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Gulf Emirate says there are no political strings attached to free trade talks with Washington
8-Mar-2005 Middle East Online
The United Arab Emirates said on Monday it was not committing itself to any changes in foreign policy by entering into talks on a free trade pact with the United States. The statement followed reports that Washington would ask Abu Dhabi to drop a trade boycott of Israel during the negotiations, which kick off here on Tuesday.
Drug deal gone bad
8-Mar-2005 Al-Ahram
A group of US companies, represented by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), has expressed concern regarding approval by the Egyptian Ministry of Health for some 500 generic versions of patented drugs.
US sets conditions for normal trade ties with Pakistan
6-Mar-2005 Business Recorder
The United States has conveyed to Pakistan that trade relations could not be normalised prior to crackdown on the violators of Intellectual Property Rights and withdrawal of case against a US-based company, Slemens-Westinghouse.
All alone
5-Mar-2005 Cairo Magazine
The 14 February assassination of Al Hariri may strip away the last of Syria’s European patrons, leaving it at the mercy of Bush’s agenda in the region. There is talk that EU parliamentary approvals of Syria’s association agreement are now on hold.
Crashing the third party
3-Mar-2005 O’Dwyer’s PR Daily
What do the Council on Foreign Relations, American Enterprise Institute, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Brookings Institution, and the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies have in common?
Central Bank discusses US FTA negotiation strategy - UAE
3-Mar-2005
Though the negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) between the UAE and the United States will take place from March 8, the banking and financial sectors has told the Central Bank of the UAE about its desire for more liberalisation.
Thousands of Guatemalans protest against ratification of FTA with US
3-Mar-2005
Thousands of public-school teachers, peasants, university students and workers rallied in Guatemala City Tuesday against the imminent approval of a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States.
Egypt: FTA controversy
3-Mar-2005 Zawya
Egypt and the US held the most high-level bilateral trade meeting since 2002 last week - a sign that the eventual opening of formal negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) could be in the works. However, officials on both sides were vague as to when that might be, saying that there were still important issues to be resolved before proceeding to the next stage of trade negotiations.
Honduras ratifies CAFTA
3-Mar-2005 Forbes
Honduras on Thursday became the second Latin American country after El Salvador to ratify a free trade agreement with the United States. Lawmakers immediately fled Congress following their decision, however, to avoid 1,000 government employees who were protesting the measure outside.
Bush administration submits annual trade report to Congress
2-Mar-2005 USTR
The Bush Administration today submitted to Congress the 2005 Trade Policy Agenda and the 2004 Annual Report of the President on the Trade Agreements Program.
BIT Treaty with US: Pakistan opposes inclusion of IPR
2-Mar-2005 Daily Times
Pakistan has refused to accept the inclusion of the Intellectual Property Rights issue in the proposed draft for a bilateral investment treaty (BIT) between the US and Pakistan, a senior government official told Daily Times.
An FTA with the US, what are we really in for?
1-Mar-2005
Regional and bilateral trade agreements have been around since the 1950’s. In the last decade however, there has been an increasing spurt of trade pacts being signed all over the world that pose challenges to the multilateral trading system.
US restarts Egypt trade talks
28-Feb-2005 Washington Times
The Bush administration in its second term is continuing its drive for closer economic ties with the Middle East, restarting trade-related talks with Egypt this week and formally opening free-trade agreement negotiations with Oman and the United Arab Emirates next month.
Draft TIFA between USA and Bangladesh leaked: A quick analysis
25-Feb-2005
USA is forcing Bangladesh to sign a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA), that will bind Bangladesh to work with USA on the successful completion of the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) and will provide extra facilities to USA "without prejudice to each party’s rights and obligations" under the WTO.
Middle East Free Trade Area: progress report
25-Feb-2005 US Embassy Italy
Since the Bush Administration first announced its trade initiative, it has made substantial progress in working with MEFTA entities to develop TIFAs, BITs, and FTAs.
Impact of FTA on economy probed
24-Feb-2005
The economic importance of the Bahrain-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and its potential impact on the economy and the private sector was discussed in a meeting yesterday at the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI).
Moroccan Ambassador meets with businesses to discuss US-Morocco FTA
24-Feb-2005 MATIC
Ambassador Mekouar’s stop in Los Angeles is part of an aggressive effort to inform US businesses about the Free Trade Agreement.
US-Bangladesh TIFA (draft)
24-Feb-2005
Draft text of the US-Bangladesh Trade and Investment Framework Agreement as of 30 January 2005
AmCham to push for US-NZ FTA
24-Feb-2005 NBR
The American Chamber of Commerce in New Zealand said today it would take the case for opening free trade negotiations direct to Washington.
Egypt must resist pressures from American pharmaceuticals
23-Feb-2005 EIPR
The current government seems so eager to reach a free-trade agreement with the US that we fear it might be willing to forfeit Egyptian citizens’ right to health.