Japan-ASEAN trade talks to reopen in April<\/p>\n
Zakki P. Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Japan and Southeast Asia's trade ministers agreed to resume talks
\non establishing a free trade agreement between the nations next
\nApril and to include agriculture in the negotiations.<\/p>\n
On Saturday separate talks with South Korea, led by Minister of
\nTrade Kim Hyun-chong, also led to an agreement to start a free
\ntrade area with founders of the Association of Southeast Asian
\nNations (ASEAN) by 2009 and 2014 for the remaining four members.<\/p>\n
The founding members are Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia, the
\nPhilippines, Singapore and Thailand, while Cambodia, Myanmar,
\nLaos and Vietnam joined later.<\/p>\n
The talks with China, represented by Minister of Commerce Bo
\nXilai finalized agreements on trade in goods and services, and a
\ndispute settlement mechanism to be formalized in Laos. The ASEAN-
\nChina free trade area is expected by 2010 for the six founding
\nnations and 2015 for the newer members.<\/p>\n
The agreements were during the three-day 36th ASEAN Economic
\nMinisters' (AEM) Meeting.<\/p>\n
Host Minister of Industry and Trade Rini MS Soewandi said the
\nministers agreed to recommend to the leaders that ASEAN and Japan
\ncommence negotiations in April 2005 and conclude talks within two
\nyears from that date.<\/p>\n
The ASEAN leaders will meet in a summit in Vientiane, Laos, in
\nNovember.<\/p>\n
Officials here say the Japan-ASEAN talks have been hampered by
\nthe "different positions" among the Japanese ministries of
\nforeign affairs; economy, trade and industry; agriculture and
\nfisheries; and finance. Moreover, officials said that Japan was
\nreluctant to open its agro-based product market.<\/p>\n
However Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry
\nShoichi Nakagawa gave his assurance that he represented his
\ngovernment and that the agricultural sector would be included in
\nthe negotiation.<\/p>\n
"There will be no a prior exception ...," Nakagawa said.<\/p>\n
The six ASEAN founding members and Japan target a free trade
\narea by 2012, while the newer members by 2017.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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