Malaysia, US within 'striking distance' of free trade deal - US official |
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Fri, 12 Jan 2007 06:55
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KUALA LUMPUR (XFN-ASIA) - The United States and Malaysia are 'within striking distance' of forging a free trade pact by the end of March but are still working out differences in sensitive areas, a senior US official said.The two sides this week started a fourth round of talks for a free trade agreement (FTA) in San Francisco and US Assistant Trade Representative Barbara Weisel said they were 'considerably closer' towards concluding the deal.'There still is work to do and some not insignificant challenges ahead,' Weisel told Agence France-Presse in a video-conference from San Francisco.'But we believe the progress we have made this week has put us within striking distance of concluding this agreement within the next few months and within our Trade Promotion Authority timeframe,' she said.The US is racing to conclude the FTA before President George W Bush loses his trade-negotiating authority, which allows deals to be fast-tracked by presenting them to Congress for a simple vote without amendment.The deal must be submitted to Congress for consideration 90 days before the authority expires, meaning an accord must be struck by March 30.'We are going to try to conclude by then...we are determined to do everything we can achieve that goal,' said Weisel, adding that at least two more rounds of talks are needed.She said both sides were starting work on 'tailored approaches' to accommodate areas that Malaysia considers sensitive.The US wants to include labor and environmental standards in the deal, despite quibbles by Malaysia, and there is some wrangling over the services sector.Government procurement is also an issue, with the US seeking access for companies to lucrative Malaysian state contracts, which currently favor the country's majority ethnic Malays and indigenous groups.'The Malaysian government has, as in the case of labor and environment, not reached a decision as to whether it is comfortable including those,' Weisel said.'On government procurement, we have had that discussion now for a couple of months. I think we are pretty clear about what their concerns are,' she added. 'We'd like to try to start that discussion when Malaysia is ready to do that.'Opposition to the FTA has been growing among Malaysian activists and others who say the talks lack transparency and that livelihoods could be damaged.afp/ey/sls/bmm/km
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Malaysian rice farmers, activists, demand halt to free trade talks with US 