KL seeks no bilateral deals

KL seeks no bilateral deals

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP): Malaysia's trade minister said
Saturday that her country has no intention of pursuing a
bilateral free trade agreement with any nation.

Rafidah Aziz said that Malaysia is already committed to the
free trade area being created by the 10-member Association of
Southeast Asian Nations, to which Malaysia belongs.

"We are not interested in having bilateral FTAs with anybody,"
Rafidah was quoted by the national news agency Bernama as saying.
"We are already with AFTA."

Neighboring Singapore, also an ASEAN member, has already
concluded a free trade agreement with New Zealand and is pursuing
similar pacts with the United States, Australia, Mexico and
Japan.

ASEAN also includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,
Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.