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US, Southeast Asia sign trade, liberalisation pact

US, Southeast Asia sign trade, liberalisation pact The United States and 10 Southeast Asian nations signed a trade and investment agreement on Friday that opens the door to possible free-trade talks. US trade representative Susan Schwab signed the trade and investment framework agreement in Malaysia with the 10 member states of the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean). The can-do spirit of the members of Asean reflects the can-do spirit we are so proud of in the United States, Schwab told reporters after signing the pact. The Tifa with Asean represents an important step forward in the trade relationship

India to launch South Asia free-trade pact

India to launch South Asia free-trade pact The Indian cabinet approved on Thursday the introduction of a pact with its neighbours from Jan. 1 to promote free trade and economic ties in South Asia, home to nearly one-fifth of the world’s population. Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said India would initially cut customs duties by five percent for goods imported from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives and Nepal after the launch of the South Asia Free Trade Area (SAFTA) agreement. Although some member countries are yet to ratify the pact, Indian officials said New Delhi would go ahead with implementing the agreement from Jan.

EU-Asia trade pact in prospect

EU-Asia trade pact in prospect The European Union is likely to decide by the end of the year whether to launch talks on a comprehensive trade agreement with south-east Asia, its first in Asia, Peter Mandelson, the EU trade commissioner, said yesterday. The EU and the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) yesterday issued a final report on the prospects for a trade deal that made a strong case for such an agreement with benefits for all sides, Mr Mandelson told the Financial Times. The EU move is seen as a response to a widening web of bilateral deals being negotiated

Rice To Discuss Common Security Challenges at Southeast Asia Forum

Rice To Discuss Common Security Challenges at Southeast Asia Forum Strengthening relationships between the United States and Southeast Asian countries and discussing common security challenges in the region will be the focus of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rices visit to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the 13th meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). During a roundtable discussion with Asian print journalists July 21, Rice said the ARF meeting July 28 will give her an opportunity to continue [the] process of deepening the ties with the member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) -- Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,

Free trade agreement brings hope to southern Asia

Free trade agreement brings hope to southern Asia The landmark South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) agreement, which holds the promise of boosting international commerce and trade in one of the world's poorest regions, officially came into effect yesterday. The free-trade pact is considered to be by far the most important decision taken by the seven-member South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) during its 20-year existence. Nearly 23 percent of the world's population lives in the SAARC region which is just three percent of the world's area. SAARC nations including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal and Bhutan initially agreed to the