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Seoul will cut protection for domestic film industry by 50%
26-Jan-2006
Hollywood will get greater access to South Korea’s movie market after the government said Thursday that it would cut in half the quota of homegrown films that must be shown in the country’s cinemas.
S. Korea may announce start of FTA talks with US on Feb. 2
26-Jan-2006 Asia Pulse
South Korea is expected to announce the start of free trade negotiations with the United States on February 2, a government source said Thursday.
Korea to halve screen quota
26-Jan-2006
South Korea on Thursday decided to halve its 40-year-old screen quota, the mandatory period for theaters to show domestic films a year, to 73 days to clear the way for its free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States.
US, South Korea near free-trade talks
26-Jan-2006
The United States and South Korea are very close to launching negotiations for a free-trade agreement, which would be the most economically significant free-trade pact for Washington since the North American Free Trade Agreement, according to people familiar with the matter.
US-NZ FTA prospects dip
26-Jan-2006
New Zealand’s chances of securing free trade talks with the United States have taken a knock.
S Korea to cut screen quota to boost FTA talks with US
26-Jan-2006
South Korea said it would reduce by half its screen quota for domestically produced films, in a move aimed at facilitating talks with the United States on a free trade agreement (FTA).
US pressures Peru on free trade deal
26-Jan-2006 Xinhua
The United States said on Wednesday it would not renew a favorable tariff pact with Peru unless the country ratifies a free trade pact agreed on between the two sides in December.
Trade deal sought with Arab states
25-Jan-2006 Hong Kong Standard
China wants closer ties with Saudi Arabia and other Arab states, and is working toward a free-trade agreement with countries in the region, according to Premier Wen Jiabao.
Japan, Indonesia agree to accelerate FTA negotiations
25-Jan-2006 Kyodo
Japan and Indonesia agreed Wednesday to accelerate ongoing bilateral talks aimed at sealing a free trade accord, with the goal of striking a basic accord by mid-2006 at earliest, a Japanese official said.
Colombia trade benefits seen at risk without US deal
25-Jan-2006 Reuters
US Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles Grassley warned that agricultural market access terms of the Colombia agreement must be at least as good as the CAFTA. If Colombia can’t agree to those terms, "there’s really not much point in continuing negotiations" a Committee aide said.
Ecuador-Colomb-US resume FTA talks
25-Jan-2006 Prensa Latina
Ecuador, along with Colombia, is reopening Wednesday in Washington joint negotiation over the copyright issue in the Free Trade Agreement with the US, despite growing refusal in Quito.
Uganda urged to sign free trade pacts with neighbors
25-Jan-2006
Uganda has been urged to sign free trade agreements with Rwanda and Burundi in order to waive customs duties.
New Thai-US FTA chief negotiator to be appointed within January
25-Jan-2006
A new head of the Thai negotiating team for the proposed Thai-United States Free Trade Area (FTA) agreement is expected to be appointed within this month, Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak said Wednesday.
US drops sanctions threat on Pakistan over piracy
25-Jan-2006 Khaleej Times
The United States has dropped a threat to cut off trade benefits for Pakistan because of steps that country has made to crack down on the piracy of US music, movies and software, the US Trade Representative’s office said on Tuesday.
US trade talks exclusion ’no slap in face’
24-Jan-2006
New Zealand’s exclusion from a small list of countries the United States hopes to initiate free trade talks with this year is no surprise, the Government says.
China FTA talks near next phase: Vaile
24-Jan-2006
Australia and China are ready to progress to the next stage of talks on a possible free trade agreement, the federal government says.
Indian president makes first-ever state visit to Korea
24-Jan-2006
Indian President Abdul Kalam will make a four-day visit to Korea from Feb. 6 through 9 for a summit with Korean President Roh Moo-hyun.
Food-safety dispute stalls trade agreement
24-Jan-2006
The U.S.-Central American Free Trade Agreement that was supposed to take effect Jan. 1 is being held up by the U.S. because some of the countries involved have yet to recognize U.S. meat-inspection procedures as valid.
Government to go ahead with Thai-US FTA talks
24-Jan-2006
The government will go ahead with its negotiations with the United States on the proposed Thai-US Free Trade Area (FTA) Agreement, Thai Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon reaffirmed here on Tuesday.
Durables industry yet to reap benefits of Indo-Thai FTA
24-Jan-2006
The free trade agreement (FTA) signed between India and Thailand in 2004, widely expected to bring down the prices of colour televisions and colour picture tubes imported from Thailand, is yet to have its desired effect.