September 15, 2011

EU-Malaysia FTA talks going into specific terms - Mukhriz

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 15 (Bernama) — The next round of negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA) between Malaysia and the European Union (EU) is expected to take place next month.

The discussion was getting into specific terms, Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir told reporters here today.

He was replying to a question whether the talks had reached advanced stages or whether it was still in general terms.

Earlier, he introduced the chairman and new members of the Board of Trustees of the SIFE Malaysia Foundation.

The EU-Malaysia FTA negotiations were launched in October 2010 but the first round of talks was held in Brussels two months later. Kuala Lumpur hosted the fourth round from July 12 to 15 this year.

Meanwhile, Maybank Investment Bank Bhd Chief Executive Officer Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz has been appointed Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the SIFE Malaysia Foundation.

The board’s new members Asia Logistics Council Sdn Bhd Chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Mamat, KPMG Malaysia Managing Partner Mohamed Raslan Rahman, Khazanah Nasional Bhd’s Corporate Responsibility Director Shareen Shariza and KPMG Malaysia Partner Siew Chin Kiang.

— BERNAMA