S'pore, U.S. trade pact baton likely to pass to Bush

S'pore, U.S. trade pact baton likely to pass to Bush

SINGAPORE (Reuters): Singapore said on Thursday negotiations
on its bilateral free trade pact with the United States, which
could pave the way for one with ASEAN, were unlikely to be
finalized before the inauguration of George W. Bush as U.S.
president on Jan. 20.

"Both sides want to conclude this as soon as we can, but we
cannot be specific on the dates," Singapore's ambassador-at-large
Tommy Koh told a news conference.

The Singapore delegation had achieved about 25 percent of its
goals in December and would like to have concluded negotiations
by Jan. 19, ahead of the new U.S. administration, he said.

"This is probably not achievable unless a miracle takes
place," Koh said, adding both side would act with "all deliberate
speed, but would ensure that content would not suffer." Both
sides had wanted to finalize a deal last year, to meet a goal
announced in November by President Bill Clinton and Singapore
Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong.

Koh said he expected that 95 percent of the issues discussed
would remain unchanged under the new U.S. administration.

But on issues that had proven divisive, such as labor and
environment, there was likely to be a change in negotiation
posture and policy. Koh said its free trade agreement (FTA) with
the United States would act as a model for similar pacts in
future.

"In the longer term, the U.S.-Singapore FTA could open the way
for an eventual U.S.-ASEAN FTA," he said, referring to the 10-
member Association of South East Asian Nations.

The second round of discussions between the two countries
began in the city state on Wednesday and would resume next week.

With a population of four million, Singapore is the United
States' largest trading partner in Southeast Asia and 10th
largest in the world. Two-way trade totaled US$34.4 billion in
1999.