Talks On Taiwan-Nicaragua FTA To Be Held In Taipei
Central News Agency, Taiwan
16 September 2004
TALKS ON TAIWAN-NICARAGUA FTA TO BE HELD IN TAIPEI
Taipei, Sept. 16 (CNA) The first round of talks on a Taiwan-Nicaragua free trade agreement (FTA) will be held in Taipei Sept. 20-24, Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) officials said Thursday. The discussions in the five-day meeting will be centered on issues to be put on the agenda of bilateral talks and an exchange of lists of products to be liberalized, the officials said, adding that the two sides also expect to map out a draft agreement. The meeting will include panel discussions on market access, regulations and processes, investment and the service industry, labor and environmental protection, and trade cooperation. The topics will include national treatment, animal and plant inspection and quarantine, technical trade barriers, origin certification, dispute settlements, intellectual property protection, investment and the service industry development. The Nicaraguan Vice Minister of Commerce and Industry will head a 20-member delegation that will attend the meeting. Nicaragua initiated a proposal for signing an FTA with Taiwan in August when Premier Yu Shyi-kun visited the Central American nation, the officials said. Minister of Economic Affairs Ho Mei-yueh, who accompanied Yu on the visit, signed a FTA consultation framework accord Aug. 20 with his Nicaraguan counterpart, Mario Arana, under which the two sides agreed to start the FTA talks as soon as possible. (By Huang Kwang-chun)
