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  1. Negotiations

Asia & Pacific

Bilateral deal-making involving governments of Asia and the Pacific region.

’Too many FTAs could hurt Asean’
30-May-2005 Bangkok Post
Too many bilateral free trade area (FTA) agreements between individual Asian countries and more powerful economies will erode Asean’s drive to create free trade among its 10 members, according to Dr Somkiat Tangkitvanich, research director of the Thailand Development Research Institute.
High price to host, protect APEC ’07
11-May-2005 The Age
Hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum in 2007 will cost Australia $216.3 million.
’High time we signed RTAs’
11-May-2005 Financial Express
Commerce and industry minister Kamal Nath has said that India is specifically looking at regional trading agreements (RTA) to boost its trade. "Without such agreements India faces the risk of being isolated globally. India must engage in trade on a regional basis", he said.
US moves to break free trade impasse with Southeast Asia
3-May-2005 Zee News
Deputy US Secretary of State Robert Zoellick is determined to break a free trade impasse with Southeast Asia during a visit to the region this week.
Trade fever hits Asia-Pacific region
21-Apr-2005 IHT
The enthusiasm for bilateral free trade agreements, or FTAs, and regional trade agreements, or RTAs, around Asia-Pacific reflects frustration over the slow pace of multilateral trade reform, once seen as the great hope for regional trade.
Brunei, Japan talking FTA
18-Apr-2005
Japan on Wednesday began the first round of talks on reaching a free trade agreement (FTA) with ASEAN in a move that could be a driving force to build an East Asian community.
Summit indicates no plan to move toward FTA
6-Apr-2005 Jakarta Post
The upcoming Asian-African Summit will focus on establishing a new strategic partnership, and would not as yet move toward ideas of linking the two continents via a free trade agreement. "However, we have identified that (a FTA) is one form of cooperation that we can pursue in the long term," Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs secretary-general Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrat said.
Updates on developments in the Pacific
16-Mar-2005 Scoop
Governments within the Asia/Pacific region that are rabid free traders have embarked on a rescue mission for the WTO and APEC through regional and bilateral agreements that are also designed to be WTO-plus.
Trade links can fight terrorists
24-Feb-2005 AFP
More open trade links between Australia and the Asia-Pacific can play a major role in fighting terrorism throughout the region, Treasurer Peter Costello said today.
US traders seek stronger economic ties with Brunei
27-Jan-2005 Brudirect
Trade representatives from the United States on Tuesday discussed with various governmental stakeholders in Brunei under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) to seek opportunities for stronger bilateral economic ties.

    Links

  • ABAC
    APEC Business Advisory Council is pushing for an FTA among APEC members
  • ASEAN Briefing
    ASEAN Briefing is a platform dedicated to the various and increasing number of trade treaties and agreements throughout the ASEAN region, produced by tax and legal professionals Dezan Shira & Associates.
  • Asia Regional Integration Center
    Database of bilateral and plurilateral FTAs with at least one of Asian Development Bank’s 48 regional members as signatory.
  • Australia-ASEAN-New Zealand FTA
    An Australian government webpage on the Australia-ASEAN-New Zealand FTA negotiations, agreed to end 2004 and begun early 2005.
  • Macau-China FTA
    Official website on the Macau-China Closer Economic Partnership Agreement
  • PANG
    The Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG) plays the role of the Pacific regional “peoples’ watchdog on trade issues”.