TWN Info Service on Free Trade Agreements

05 March 2007


Cabinet to Finalise Stand on Malaysia-US FTA

Malaysia will finalise this week its stance on the 58 outstanding issues that bogged down free trade talks with the US last month.

According to the Minister of International Trade and Industry Rafidah Aziz, her ministry will be presenting to the Cabinet this Wednesday the stand taken by all the respective ministries and agencies involved in the Malaysia-US FTA negotiations.

After which the Cabinet will decide on the final stand to take on the various issues in the negotiations.

"Each ministry would provide their specific stand on the matter and this would be discussed by the cabinet. The conclusion drawn would be Malaysia's stand when discussing the issue during negotiations," Rafidah said.

She did not elaborate on the nature of the 58 contentious issues except to say they involved the ministries of trade, agriculture, labour, science and technology, finance and environment.



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Item 1

Cabinet To State Its Stand On M'sia-US FTA Issue

(http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news_lite.php?id=249782:)
KUALA LUMPUR, March 5 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of International Trade and Industry would be presenting to the Cabinet this Wednesday the stand taken by all the respective ministries and agencies involved in the Malaysia-US Free Trade Agreement negotiations.

Its Minister, Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz said that following the presentation, the Cabinet would draw the country's final stand on each issue raised during the FTA negotiations.

"Each ministry would provide their specific stand on the matter and this would be discussed by the Cabinet. The conclusion drawn would be Malaysia's stand when discussing the issue during negotiations," she told reporters after launching the International Islamic Exhibition 2007 here Monday.

The minister said this when asked on the progress of the FTA negotiations.

All the issues raised during the FTA meetings with the US were not solely dealt by MITI but a total of 19 negotiation teams headed by the related ministries, she said.

For an example, whatever stand taken on the area of agriculture whether it had to do with rice or tobacco, the stand is that of the Ministry of Agriculture, and the opinions given would be that of its officials or minister, she said.

"So, whatever the government's stand so far is really the opinion of the related ministry or agency... and not MITI's, and this is what I would be taking to the Cabinet.

"The Cabinet would know the stand taken on each of the related issue and the reasons," Rafidah said.

She said the Cabinet would make the decision on whether to agree with the ministries or otherwise. "They would also look at any other options Malaysia can take, and this is the way we negotiate," she added.

"It is not nice for Malaysia to have bilateral meetings with another country and release the entire outcome of the meetings through the media.. this does not reflect responsibility on the part of the government," Rafidah said.

She also stressed that Malaysia was not obliged to follow any specific deadline set for the conclusion of the FTA negotiations.

-- BERNAMA’


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‘FTA: Cabinet to finalise stance on Wednesday
Mar 5, 07 10:39am
Malaysiakini.com
(http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/64102)


Malaysia will finalise this week its stance on 58 outstanding issues that bogged down free trade talks with the United States last month, the trade minister said today.

Rafidah Aziz was quoted by the official Bernama news agency as saying a final decision will be made at the cabinet's weekly meeting this Wednesday.
She asked various ministries to review the issues after talks became deadlocked in February. She said the ministries will present their respective reports to cabinet.

"Each ministry would provide their specific stand on the matter and this would be discussed by the cabinet. The conclusion drawn would be Malaysia's stand when discussing the issue during negotiations," Rafidah said.

The two countries have held five rounds of talks for a free trade agreement (FTA), but negotiations have bogged down over the 58 unresolved issues and no further rounds have been scheduled.

'No-go' issues

Rafidah has said sensitive or "no-go" issues, including Malaysia's positive discrimination policies for its majority ethnic Malays, would be excluded from the next round of negotiations.

She has not elaborated on the nature of the 58 contentious issues except to say they involved the ministries of trade, agriculture, labour, science and technology, finance and environment.

On Monday she said the cabinet will also consider any other options that Malaysia can take. She did not elaborate.

Washington must conclude the FTA by the end of March to give the US Congress the requisite time of three months to consider the deal.

The FTA must be passed before July 1, when US President George W. Bush loses his Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) which allows deals to be fast-tracked.
Washington fears a Democrat-controlled congress will not renew the authority.

- AFP’