Thailand, Mexico study link between NAFTA and AFTA
Thailand, Mexico study link between NAFTA and AFTA
BANGKOK (AFP): The foreign ministers of Mexico and Thailand announced progress towards a range of bilateral agreements and strong prospects for regional cooperation.
"We are studying means to link NAFTA with AFTA," Thai Foreign Minister and deputy Prime Minister Amnuay Virawan said, referring to the regional free trade areas of North America and ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
"This is, economically speaking, the most dynamic area in the world. And Latin America, Mexico in particular, is preparing for a period of growth. I think there will be a lot of synergies," Mexican Foreign Minister Jose Gurria said over the weekend.
Gurria, who came to Thailand via Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia, told reporters that in each country he had received "extremely positive" responses to a Mexican request for full sectoral dialogue partner status with ASEAN.
The regional body -- composed of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam -- however, was in the process of reviewing its policy on dialogue partners.
"ASEAN must consider how to choose additional dialogue partners at the ministers' meeting in Jakarta" later this month," Amnuay said, but he added that as a big country and a NAFTA member Mexico was a strong candidate.
The two countries hoped to be ready to underpin bilateral relations in November at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Manila.
"We have agreed in the next few months to complete a number of agreements in the areas of environment, of transportation and trade, culture and education, science and technology -- a political framework (for relations)," Gurria said.
Bilateral agreements covering extradition, double taxation and investment protection were among those expected to be ready to sign in November, Amnuay said.
Gurria also met with the Thai ministers of finance and commerce, business leaders and opinion leaders in the media and academics, Jorge Navarro, a Mexican Embassy official here said.
He would see potential investors from the CP Group, a diversified regional giant, the Thai-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the automobile, cement, construction, textile and financial industries, among others, Navarro said.
Gurria came to the region to present Mexico's achievements in emerging from an economic crisis in 1994, to attract foreign investment and in its developed sectors to offer technological cooperation, the embassy official said.
The foreign minister was to continue on to Japan Saturday after a reception by Thailand's Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, who is due to visit Mexico in October.