bilaterals.org logo
bilaterals.org logo

Articles by language


Rice: Timing off for free trade with Egypt
The United States will not seek a free trade agreement with Egypt this year because the "timing" is not right, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said.
S Korean farmers, movie makers rally over US trade talks
Some 2,000 South Korean farmers, movie-makers and anti-US activists staged a candlelight protest Friday against free trade negotiations with the United States.
US-Thailand: Talks could slow over plant and drug issues
Differences over pharmaceuticals could be overcome, but the countries are far from reaching a common understanding on biodiversity issues.
Kenya and Venezuela sign bilateral trade agreement
Kenya has signed an agreement with the Venezuela government to enhance bilateral co-operation between the two countries.
Cabinet approves negotiations on bilateral investment agreement with Kuwait
Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Wednesday approved negotiations on bilateral investment agreement between the governments of Pakistan and Kuwait.
US free traders retreat on UAE ports deal
In a replay of congressional efforts last year that foiled a bid by a Chinese company to buy a US oil firm, a group of hawkish US lawmakers, citing national security concerns, are trying to block a deal that gives a major Arab company control over a British firm that runs some US ports.
Hunger on the border
The labor side agreement of NAFTA hasn’t forced anybody to take responsibility. It’s not an effective guarantee of anyone’s rights.
Thailand-US FTA talks likely to extend beyond April
Although the local political situation has become heated, with rumours on dissolving the parliament prevaling in the country, the Thai-US negotiations will continue, Naris Chaiyasoot, Director General of the Ministry of Finance’s Fiscal Policy Office, said.
Opening a trade gateway
Hundreds of American companies have been invited to a key conference in Bahrain next week to discuss ways to enhance commercial ties between the two countries.
Pakistan ratifies SAFTA - but no free trade with India
Pakistan has ratified the much-trumpeted South Asia Free Trade Agreement (Safta), but trade between India and Pakistan will not be initiated under this agreement, instead it will continue under the existing import regime.
Exclusion of rice from trade deal ‘possible’
With the government’s recent efforts to sign a free trade agreement with the United States drawing intense opposition from farmers here, a top Korean government official said the trade negotiators would try to exempt rice from the economic pact.
Time not right for US-Egypt trade pact: Rice
The time is not right for the United States and Egypt to begin negotiations on a free- trade agreement, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in an interview on Friday with Arab media.
US meets resistance on full access to finance
A seminar heard yesterday that although US negotiators had asked Thailand to fully deregulate its financial services and allow US investors unrestricted stakes in the brokering and banking sectors, Bangkok was insisting that the sector was not ready to face direct competition.
Brunei-Japan FTA talks on the cards
Brunei and Japan will hold two-day preparatory talks starting Monday to conclude a bilateral free trade agreement.
Inept handling of trade agreements
All trade agreements may fumble in delivering results if they take effect prior to completion of all modalities and arrangements, which are to govern and ease trade between the signatory countries. But both the South Asian Preferential Trade Agreement (SAPTA) and its successor agreement on free trade — South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) — were signed before completing these essential formalities
Colombia-US FTA may distort Venezuelan market
Venezuela’s Minister of Industry and Trade Gustavo Márquez thinks that an eventual Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by Colombia and the United States could result in unfair competition to the detriment of Venezuelan commodities.
Free trade could cost plenty
Supara Janchitfah looks at the rules of the Thai-US FTA negotiation process and finds them more favourable to the American side.
CAFTA In Limbo
Jacobo Kattan was hoping to build an industrial park and create 8,000 new jobs after the expected implementation of a regional free-trade pact last month. Instead, he’s had to fire 2,000 workers and close three companies as the region’s clothing industry haemorrhages, putting factories in legal limbo while much of their business leaves for Asia.
US Senators express concern over Chevron lobbying tactics
US Senators Patrick Leahy and Barack Obama have written to the US Trade Representative urging that he ignore Chevron’s campaign to exclude Ecuador from FTA negotiations until the Ecuadorian government shuts down a historic environmental lawsuit against the company.
US nearing decision on trade talks with Malaysia
The United States may announce soon that it is beginning free trade talks with Malaysia, US Trade Representive Rob Portman said on Wednesday.