Minimal progress made at 19th round of TPP negotiations
Bernama, Malaysia
Minimal Progress Made At 19th Round Of TPP Negotiations
By Nur Adika Bujang
28 August 2013
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Aug 28 (Bernama) — Minimal progress has been achieved on most outstanding areas in the 19th round of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations taking place here since Aug 22.
International Trade and Industry Ministry Senior Director J. Jayasiri, who is also Malaysia’s chief negotiator, said this was because negotiators of the 12 member countries in the TPP were now delving into difficult areas.
He said those areas included market access for goods and services, as well as, investments, state-owned enterprises, environment and intellectual property rights.
"The ministers (of the participating countries) met and gave clear guidelines for the negotiators to make as much progress as possible in all those outstanding areas.
"Some of the (negotiating) groups that have already finished their work in Brunei will continue with further work through other meetings or electronic means to see if more progress can be made," he told Bernama Wednesday on the sidelines of the ongoing meeting which ends on Aug 30.
Jayasiri also said Malaysia had proposed to exclude tobacco control measures from the TPP for public health purposes.
Malaysia is among 12 countries involved in the TPP negotiations with host country Brunei, Australia, Canada, Chile, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States, Vietnam and Japan.
