EFTA to pursue FTA with Malaysia
BERNAMA
July 14, 2006
EFTA To Pursue FTA With Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 (Bernama) — The European Free Trade Association (EFTA), comprising Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, intends to pursue a free trade agreement (FTA) with Malaysia and will decide on it by year-end.
"Studies and consultations will be made on the costs and benefits of the trade agreement," Swiss Minister of Economic Affairs, Prof Joseph Deiss, told reporters after calling on Minister of International Trade and Industry, Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz, at her office here Friday.
"The meeting with Rafidah showed that Malaysia was quite positive about the trade agreement with EFTA.
"The EFTA had a meeting in Iceland recently and I, in my capacity as the chairman for a six-month period, was given the mandate to inform the Malaysian Government of the intention," he said.
Deiss is on a six-day visit to Malaysia, leading a Swiss delegation of 10 comprising senior government officials and members of the private sectors.
As for other bilateral issues being discussed, he said these included intellectual property rights (IPR), of which both countries shared a common interest to protect IPR.
Deiss also brought up Switzerland’s interest for Malaysia Airlines to keep its weekly flights to Zurich as such connection was important for both countries.
Multilateral discussions were also on the agenda with both ministers exchanging assessments of the current situation in the World Trade Organisation negotiations.
The minister has also met Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to discuss ways of deepening relations and with Minister of Science, Technology and Innovations Datuk Seri Dr Jamaludin Jarjis on innovations and contributions by Swiss companies.
