`No stringent pre-requisite for FTAs with ASEAN'<\/p>\n
Jason Gutierrez, Agence France-Presse, Manila<\/p>\n
ASEAN countries can sign bilateral free trade agreements (FTA)
\nwith the United States without stringent pre-requisites, other
\nthan reforms and a willingness to open up their economies,
\nWashington's top trade negotiator said Wednesday.<\/p>\n
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick met with his
\ncounterparts from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian
\nNations (ASEAN) in Manila to sell an initiative launched by
\nPresident George W. Bush for bilateral FTAs in the region.<\/p>\n
Washington has already completed negotiations with Vietnam and
\nSingapore and Zoellick said it wants to expand the program to
\nother ASEAN members -- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,
\nMalaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand.<\/p>\n
The Enterprise for ASEAN Initiative seeks to create a regional
\nnetwork of FTAs, although there are no specific timetables for
\neach country to strike a deal with the U.S..<\/p>\n
Two-way trade between ASEAN and the U.S. reached US$120
\nbillion in 2001, making ASEAN -- with its consumer base of $500
\nmillion -- Washington's third largest trading partner.<\/p>\n
U.S. agricultural exports to ASEAN countries currently stand
\nat $2.6 billion and could still increase if FTAs are sealed,
\nofficials said.<\/p>\n
Washington, however, recognizes that there are some problems
\nthat cover all countries, so it will allow each ASEAN country
\nflexibility to move at their own pace toward an FTA, Zoellick
\ntold reporters.<\/p>\n
"We're not trying to use this as a hard and fast set of
\npreconditions. We are trying to share with people our insights on
\nwhat we think is important for economic development, how trade
\ncan support that, our experience with other agreements, and
\ndetermine which countries want to move towards that level of
\nintegration."<\/p>\n
Philippine Trade Secretary Manuel Roxas, who chaired the
\ninformal meeting, said senior ASEAN officials would be asked to
\ncome up with a "specific work program" for a region-wide trade
\nand investment facilitation agreement to pave the way for
\nindividual FTAs.<\/p>\n
The agreement could have "unique characteristics", including
\nan "opt-in, opt-out mechanism" for some specific provision that
\ncertain nations might have difficulty with.<\/p>\n
Zoellick noted the U.S. has been negotiating for similar FTAs
\nwith 34 countries in the West, many of which are included in its
\nwatchlist of intellectual property rights violators.<\/p>\n
"Free trade is about freedom and openness. The prime point is
\nthat we like to try to help developing countries, democracies
\nachieve economic reforms and build support for openness," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
President Gloria Arroyo met with ministers from ASEAN at the
\npresidential palace and assured Zoellick her government fully
\nsupported U.S. economic policies.<\/p>\n
However she pressed for ASEAN countries to be given more
\naccess to the U.S. market.<\/p>\n
"There are barriers and sanctions that the Filipino people
\nperceive to be adding to the poverty of the nation," Arroyo said
\nwithout being specific.<\/p>\n
ASEAN economic ministers welcomed the initiative and said it
\nunderscored the "importance that the United States places on
\nenhancing trade ties to ASEAN."<\/p>\n
They said the U.S. also agreed to support the entry of
\nCambodia, Laos and Myanmar to the World Trade Organization in
\nline with its goal of establishing FTAs.<\/p>\n
Zoellick reminded ASEAN members that entering into an FTA with
\nthe U.S. was "a particularly serious endeavor" that presents
\ncertain challenges.<\/p>\n
For some countries, FTAs could be seen as a "device they use
\nto help their own internal reforms." It would require individual
\ncountries to prepare comprehensive reforms and participation of
\nthe private sector.<\/p>\n
The U.S. government, however, would not "force countries to
\nmove more quickly than they can," Zoellick said.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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