TWN Info Service on Free Trade Agreements

15 November 2009

President Obama Appreciates Malaysia's Contribution
By Zakaria Abdul Wahab

SINGAPORE, Nov 15 (Bernama) - United States (US) President Barack Obama Sunday expressed his great appreciation for Malaysia's contribution in maintaining regional peace and security all this while.

Obama cited the role played by Malaysia in tackling terrorism, as the intermediary in resolving the conflict in Southern Philippines, maintaining security in the Straits of Melaka and checking human trafficking to third countries at a meeting between Asean and the US at the Shangri-La Hotel, here.

This was stated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at a media conference after attending the meeting immediately after the conclusion of the Asia Pacific Economic Leaders Meeting (AELM) at the Istana.

Najib said the Asean-US Meeting was historic as it was the first time that such a meeting was being held, and it was obvious that the US was keen to forge closer relations with Asean.

He said Obama had stated that he intended to enhance relations with Asean through various cooperation including trade, investment, technology, education, the teaching and learning of English language and continuing the 'Peace Corps' programme.

The Prime Minister said Vietnam, who will be the chairman of Asean next year, also expressed its hope that the meeting between the Asean leaders and the US President would be turned into an annual event.

He said Obama wanted to have close contacts with Asean and hoped that Asean would become an inclusive economic region.

Najib also disclosed that the US wished to hold dialogues with the Muslim countries and asked Malaysia to assist her in the process of holding inter-faith dialogues.

Obama also stated that the US would endeavour to resolve the peace process in West Asia no matter how difficult it would be, said Najib who described the statement as a good start for the Muslim world.

On the Myanmar issue, which was also raised at the Asean-US Meeting, the Prime Minister said Obama had stated his desire to see the achievement of democracy and the release of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi in the Asean member country.

Responding to a question, Najib said Myanmar did not give any response when the issue of Suu Kyi's release was raised by Obama, but it welcomed the US engagement policy.

Asked on Obama's stand on free trade, the Prime Minister said although the US President was facing pressure in his country to defend the US trade, the tone from Obama showed that he rejected protectionism and somewhat accepted free trade.

Najib said Obama's approach might be different but his principles on free trade remained the same and he certainly gave his commitment on the matter.

After the media conference, Najib and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor took the opportunity to pay a visit on the Sultan of Kelantan who has been receiving medical treatment at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital for the past few months, before departing for Kuala Lumpur.

-- BERNAMA

Friday November 13, 2009, The Star

Mustapa: No FTA with US

SINGAPORE: The bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Malaysia and the United States may not materialise after all as the economic giant is more keen on having a regional FTA.

International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed said the priority for the United States was to have a Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (TPP).

“To them the TPP is a priority while the bilateral FTA was of low priority,” he said, adding that Washington’s stand was conveyed to him by trade representative Ron Kirk yesterday.

“We are still hoping for a bilateral FTA as he has invested a lot of time and has had at least eight meetings until last year. So let’s wait for President Barack Obama’s address at Apec,” he told reporters after attending the Apec ministerial meeting here.

The TPP, also known as the P4 agreement is not an Apec initiative and does not fall within the Apec agenda.

It is a multilateral free trade agreement between Brunei, Chile, New Zealand and Singapore.

Recently the group expanded to include the United States, Australia, Peru and Vietnam.

“We have not made any decision on the TPP as we need to study this,” he said.

November 11, 2009 11:35 AM

Malaysia-US FTA Dialogue Still Stalled

SINGAPORE, Nov 11 (Bernama) -- The dialogue between Malaysia and the United States on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), stalled since the middle of last year, has seen no new development, said the Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Mustapa Mohamed.

He said that on the part of the United States, there was still no clear trade policies and from the time Barack Obama became President.

"Maybe Obama wants to use the Asean-United States meeting this Sunday, to provide a picture of his trade policy.I am unsure," said Mustapa when asked by reporters upon arrival last night to attend the Ministerial level meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) here on Wednesday.

He said that if Obama provided a clearer picture, Malaysia can then use it as a guide in further discussions with the United States on the FTA.

"But to date, there are no signs of the discussions being reactivated," he said.

He added that the United States had already concluded a FTA with South Korea two years ago.

Discussions on the FTA between Malaysia and the United States stalled over a number of issues such as the question of the securing of government contracts and the FTA's one-sided implications, which did not benefit Malaysian trade as well as local entrepreneurs.

Mustapa said the meeting between Obama and heads of Asean nations, including Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for the first time, will provide new direction for not just relations between the regional grouping and the United States but for Malaysia as well.

He pointed out that relations between Asean and the United States was very important as members of the grouping had significant trade with that country.

-- BERNAMA