Malaysia ready to halt free trade talks with US after Lantos' demand - report |
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Published
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Fri, 02 Feb 2007 07:07
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KUALA LUMPUR (XFN-ASIA) - Malaysia is ready to halt free trade talks with the US after a US lawmaker called on President George Bush's administration to suspend all negotiations with Malaysia in protest against its energy deal with Iran, Trade Minister Rafidah Aziz said.'I am ready to advise the government to halt negotiations with the US with immediate effect as they do not respect the preliminary conditions of the free trade negotiations,' Rafidah said in a report carried by daily Utusan Melayu.Tom Lantos, the head of the US House of Representatives' top foreign affairs panel, urged the US government to suspend free trade negotiations with Malaysia to protest against its decision to allow a local company, SK Ventures Sdn Bhd, to develop two gasfields in Iran.Rafidah said Malaysia does not need the free trade agreement and that it was the US who wanted the negotiations to continue.She said the US has agreed from the beginning that the free trade negotiations will not touch on issues relating to political agendas and that there should not be any interference in either country's domestic policies.Malaysia will continue to maintain harmonious diplomatic relations with any country in the world, except Israel, and that it will not bow to any nation, including the US, who wants to dictate which country Malaysia can have relations with, she added.Rafidah is confident that the free trade negotiations will proceed despite Lantos' call as both countries have experienced such 'bad lobbying' before.aipeng.soo@xinhuafinance.comsap/jg
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US lawmaker demands suspension of free trade talks with Malaysia over Iran deal 