Australia, NZ welcome ASEAN proposal<\/p>\n
WELLINGTON: Australia and New Zealand Thursday welcomed a
\nproposal by the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations
\nto seek negotiations later this year on free-trade deals with
\nAustralia and New Zealand.<\/p>\n
\"I haven't heard this through diplomatic channels yet, but if
\nthe report is accurate, it signals a welcome breakthrough in our
\nrelationship with Asean,\" New Zealand's Trade Negotiations
\nMinister Jim Sutton told The Associated Press in a statement.<\/p>\n
\"This is great news, and I look forward to exploring it
\nfurther,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer also welcomed the
\nprospect of free-trade talks, saying it would complement the
\ncountry's bilateral deals with two Asean nations, Singapore and
\nThailand. The Singapore pact came into force last year and the
\nThai agreement will take effect next year.<\/p>\n
Australia and New Zealand signed a Closer Economic Relations
\n(CER) free-trade deal in 2002. Asean's 10-member states are
\nlinked by a trade pact.<\/p>\n
Sutton said New Zealand had been working for a trade deal with
\nAsean \"for the past four or five years without getting more than
\nincremental progress each year.\" -- Dow Jones<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/australia-nz-welcome-asean-proposal-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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