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Fishing group complains of ’gang rape’ of tuna in Aurora waters
31-Dec-2008 GMANews
The fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Saturday decried the "gang rape" of the country’s tuna stocks by Japanese, South Korean, and Taiwanese companies poaching in the portions of Philippine Sea in Aurora province.
Ruling party to railroad divisive bills
31-Dec-2008 Korea Times
Lawmakers of the governing party in Korea are expected to ratify the Korea-US free trade agreement (KORUS FTA) motion and railroad 85 contentious bills today after last-minute negotiations with the opposition failed as of midnight Tuesday.
Indonesia delays free trade deals with Oz, NZ
31-Dec-2008 Jakarta Post
Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy, has delayed signing a trade deal with Australia and New Zealand, due to be inked this month, until March next year, a senior official said Monday.
Russia, US amend trade agreement on pork, poultry
31-Dec-2008 Forbes
The US government and Russia have amended their five-year bilateral poultry and pork trade agreement with protections that should limit disruptions to trade, the US Trade Representative said.
EU set to further enhance ties with M’sia, says Ambassador
30-Dec-2008 Bernama
The next round of negotiations on the EU-Asean free trade agreement (FTA) will take place in KL, while the EU is awaiting an announcement from the Malaysian government of its intention to sit at the negotiation table and try to conclude their Partnership Cooperation Agreement, a prerequisite to the FTA.
US, Oman free trade pact to be effective Jan 1
30-Dec-2008 AFP
The United States said Monday that a free trade agreement with oil-rich Oman will enter into force on January 1 2009.
Mexico’s fiscal prudence fails to avert a slowdown
30-Dec-2008 NY Times
The North American Free Trade Agreement, which so tightly bound Mexico and the United States and turns 15 on Thursday, is helping drag Mexico down with the United States
SKorean opposition ordered to end occupation of parliament
29-Dec-2008 AFP
The head of South Korea’s parliament ordered opposition legislators Monday to end their sit-in by midnight so major bills can be passed, warning them not to force him to take "extreme measures."
Row stalled Gulf-EU talks
29-Dec-2008 Gulf News
A disagreement over human rights and democracy was behind the suspension earlier this month of trade talks between the Gulf Cooperation Council and the European Union, an Omani official said yesterday.
Outlook cloudy for SKorea-US free trade agreement
28-Dec-2008 AP
Call it the free trade follies. South Korean opposition politicians last week used a sledgehammer to try and force their way into a barricaded committee room to stop the ruling party from introducing debate on a free trade agreement with the United States. Fire extinguishers were used amid the melee — it’s not entirely clear by whom — that threw South Korea’s National Assembly into chaos.
Indonesia and New Zealand to resume FTA talks in March
28-Dec-2008 Antara
The negotiation on Free Trade Agreement between Indonesia and New Zealand is expected to be resumed in March 2009 after the signing of the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA agreement in February 2009.
Pakistan, Afghanistan to ink new trade agreements
28-Dec-2008 Daily Times
Pakistan and Afghanistan are expected to enter in to a new trade and economic cooperation mechanism during the President of Pakistan first official visit to Afghanistan on January 7, 2009
All-night sit-in strike staged in S. Korea
27-Dec-2008 KNS
Representatives of peasant organizations in south Korea went into an all-night sit-in strike in Seoul on Dec. 22 to check the passage of the motion calling for the ratification of the south Korea-US FTA through the National Assembly.
Greater Arab free trade zone no longer useful
27-Dec-2008 UAE Daily News
Arab states should not pursue the process of establishing the greater trade zone "because it won’t be useful," an Arab League official says
Japan, Vietnam sign free trade pact
25-Dec-2008 AFP
Japan and Vietnam signed an economic partnership pact Thursday with a promise to cut tariffs on some 92 percent of goods and services traded between the two nations within a decade.
Forget Mercosur, sign trade accord with EU says Brazil industry
25-Dec-2008 MercoPress
A leading number of Brazilian businessmen belonging to the country’s powerful National Confederation of Industry, CNI, said it was time to sign a bilateral agreement with the European Union, which would leave out Mercosur
Quebec supporting apartheid?
24-Dec-2008 South Lebanon
Quebec inked an economic partnership agreement with Israel this fall in Jerusalem. Attracting little attention from major media outlets, Quebec’s bilateral accord was signed during a government-led delegation to Israel that included high-level state officials and corporate representatives this past September, amidst Israel’s ongoing siege of Gaza.
Probe foreign poachers, DFA asked
24-Dec-2008 INQ
The Filipino fisherfolk group Pamalakaya is urging the Department of Foreign Affairs to investigate the reported entry of foreign fishing vessels allegedly feasting on rich tuna grounds in portions of the Philippine Sea. The fishing vessels are reportedly owned by Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese companies, and Japan has recently access to Philippine waters under JPEPA.
Argentina takes the offensive as Siemens pleads guilty to corruption charges
24-Dec-2008 ITN
Argentina has refused calls by Siemens to suspend proceedings at the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) in which a committee is considering Argentina’s request to revise a 2007 award, following the admission by the German firm that it had bribed Argentinean officials.
Glitch in the system: Ecuador’s conscientious default
24-Dec-2008
When the government of Ecuador failed to make a scheduled interest payment on private bonds this month, it was hardly the first time a country had defaulted in the middle of a financial crisis.