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Ecuador

Top Ecuador FTA negotiator resigns
2-Jun-2006 Upside Down World
More fall out from the Ecuador-Oxy clash: things went from bad to worse for Ecuador-US Free Trade negotiations when Ecuador’s Minister of Finance, Jorge Illingworth and his successor, Manuel Chiriboga both resigned.
South American Ministers vow to avoid TRIPS-plus measures
1-Jun-2006 TWN
The Ministers of Health of ten South American countries issued a joint declaration on intellectual property committing themselves to avoid "TRIPS plus" provisions in bilateral and regional trade agreements, to facilitate the use of compulsory licensing and parallel importing and to avoid broadening the scope of patentability and the extension of patentable areas.
Ecuador: Government gears up for Oxy fallout
26-May-2006 IPS
Showing the door to Occidental Petroleum (Oxy) and scuttling US free trade negotiations have long been agenda priorities for Ecuadorian social movements and political sectors. But following government steps that have all but made these goals a reality, the atmosphere seems more anxious than celebratory.
Ecuador to oppose arbitration claim filed by Occidental Petroleum
24-May-2006 MarketWatch
Ecuador will oppose an arbitration suit filed last week by Occidental Petroleum Corp (OXY) with the World Bank’s International Center for Investment Disputes in Washington, DC, said Ecuadorean Attorney General Jose Maria Borja.
US oil firm files arbitration claim against Ecuador for ’expropriation’
18-May-2006 ANTARA
The US-based Occidental Petroleum Company has filed an arbitration claim against Quito for canceling its exploration rights, a move that resulted in a suspension of free trade talks with Washington.
Occidental files BIT claim against Ecuador at ICSID
18-May-2006
US-based Occidental Petroleum has responded swiftly to a move by the Ecuadorian Government to kick the company out of Ecuador. The firm filed a request for arbitration with the Washington-based International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) yesterday. The company’s claim is expected to be for at least $1 Billion (US) in damages.
Ecuador minister says US political interference unacceptable
18-May-2006 MarketWatch
Finance Minister Diego Borja said that the US decision to break off free trade talks with Ecuador after the government canceled Occidental Petroleum Corp’s (OXY) contracts was unacceptable political interference.
White House axes free trade talks with Ecuador
17-May-2006 CNN
The Bush administration announced Tuesday it has broken off negotiations on a free trade agreement with Ecuador after that government’s decision to annul an operating contract with Occidental Petroleum Corp.
Ecuador sends military to seized oil facilities
17-May-2006 Globe and Mail
Ecuadorean President Alfredo Palacio sent troops to guard oil facilities seized from Occidental Petroleum Corp. as they are transferred to state control, officials said Tuesday.
US-Ecuador free trade agreement frozen
15-May-2006 MercoPress
Ecuador’s chief trade negotiator, Manuel Chiriboga, admitted that a huge "uncertainty" surrounds the future of the free trade negotiations with United States suspended since the end of March.
US: Ecuador oil-tax law violates treaty
22-Apr-2006 AP
A US Embassy spokeswoman said Friday that a newly approved oil-tax law designed to cut into windfall profits of foreign oil producers, like US-based Occidental Petroleum Corp, violates a bilateral investment treaty.
US warns Ecuador free-trade pact at risk
21-Apr-2006 Reuters
The United States warned Ecuador on Thursday that a proposed free-trade agreement was at risk unless Quito acted on a growing list of investment and other concerns.
Ecuador seeks to salvage free trade deal
20-Apr-2006 AP
Ecuador’s ambassador to Washington return to Quito for consultations on how to overcome an impasse with US free trade negotiators over an oil-tax bill designed to cut into foreign windfall crude profits.
Ecuador to formally request date to resume US FTA talks
19-Apr-2006 MarketWatch
The Ecuadorean government plans to send a formal request this week to the U.S. government to resume free trade talks between the two nations, the country’s top trade negotiator said Tuesday.
Ecuador may clinch FTA
18-Apr-2006
The Ecuadorian government insisted Tuesday on having the last Free Trade Agreement (FTA) round of negotiations with the US and is readying a formal request from Washington.
Oil law may hit Ecuador-US deal
17-Apr-2006 FT
New legislation designed to increase the state’s share of windfall oil revenues by some $600m a year is set to derail Ecuador’s plans to negotiate a trade deal with the US, according to government officials.
Ecuador launches efforts to renew FTA negotiations with US
16-Apr-2006 Xinhua
The Ecuadorian government hopes to have the next round of FTA negotiations on May 8 in Washington — if it manages to pass an amendment bill to the Hydrocarbons Law. But the legislation is being staunchly opposed by private oil firms.
First death in Ecuador FTA riots
8-Apr-2006 Prensa Latina
The violent police repression against Ecuadorian demonstrators protesting the free trade agreement with the US has claimed its first life, university students denounced Friday.
Ecuador writer takes trade protest to city walls
6-Apr-2006 Reuters
With can of spray paint in hand, Ecuadorean author Alex Ron has turned his writing talent loose on the walls of Quito to vent his anger about a pending U.S. free-trade pact that has sparked weeks of Indian protests.
Ecuador, US delay free trade talks in Washington
4-Apr-2006 Reuters
Ecuador and the United States decided to suspend free trade negotiations until late April after a deadlock in talks, the Ecuadorean president’s spokesman said on Monday.