M’sia-US FTA Likely To Be Signed, Says NGO Official
Bernama, Malaysia
M’sia-US FTA Likely To Be Signed, Says NGO Official
26 June 2006
KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 (Bernama) — Malaysia and the United States would not have entered into any free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations if there is no likelihood of the agreement being concluded, says Howard Rosen, executive director of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Coalition, a non-governmental organisation.
"We don’t want to enter into negotiations which are not going into an agreement, at least that we know about in advance. Someone must have thought that this should happen soon (the agreement)," he said.
When the U.S. enters into negotiations, it was doing so with the hope that it could be "negotiated and signed in time," he said when asked on the timeframe set for the conclusion of the FTA talks.
Rosen said he hoped the talks could be concluded by the end of the year.
He pointed out that the U.S. negotiation authority expires in July 2007.
"We’re only doing it with countries we think can come up with successful agreements," Rosen said at a luncheon talk hosted by the U.S. embassy here Monday.
He said that the Malaysian government and the U.S. government must have thought there was a possibility of a FTA and that was why they went into the negotiations.
"I’m pretty optimistic (of an agreement being signed). They have made some good progress on the first round and they are going for it," said Rosen, who was involved in the FTA negotiations with Thailand.
The Trade Adjustment Assistance Coalition, which was established by Rosen, advocates on behalf of workers and communities experiencing dislocations due to changes in international trade and investment.
Meanwhile, in a statement here today, Minister of International Trade and Industry, Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz said that there was no specific timeline to conclude the Malaysia-U.S. FTA negotiations.
Five rounds have been scheduled, with the objective of completing the negotiations, if possible, before the expiry of the U.S. Trade Promotion Authority in June 2007.
However, Malaysia would seek whatever timeframe that is necessary, to negotiate an agreement, that would benefit Malaysia, the minister said.
She said that the first round of negotiations was held on June 12-15, 2006 in Penang. This round was mainly used by both sides to clarify and understand each other’s positions, register interests and concerns and submit requests.
Commenting on how fast the talks could be concluded, Rosen said to begin with, Malaysia already had the benefit of the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA), a forum to address trade issues which both countries signed in May 2004.
He said that as such the FTA talks could focus only on the main issues including on government procurement, labour and environment and competition policy.
He said that it would be "unfortunate" if an agreement could not be signed if certain issues were to be the deal breaker as the FTA is likely to benefit Malaysia more than the US.
He also said that the U.S. "does not go knocking on doors around the world forcing countries to enter into FTA.
"Basically, we respond to request, if you want it we are going to negotiate in good faith," he said.
