Sticking points in upcoming free-trade talks
Pauline PuahPublished: Mar 10, 2006 3:26 PM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
Asean Free Trade Area (Afta) * [correction] , the protection of intellectual property rights as well as the affirmative action policy in Malaysia will be among the key issues on the table when Malaysia and the United States sit down for free-trade talks in the coming days.
Asean Free Trade Area (Afta)* [correction], the protection of intellectual property rights as well as the affirmative action policy in Malaysia will be among the key issues on the table when Malaysia and the United States sit down for free-trade talks in the coming days.
US Ambassador to Malaysia Christopher LaFleur pointed to these three issues when asked about the difficult areas expected in the negotiation talks during a dialogue at the International Islamic University this morning.
About 50 lecturers and students of the university attended the dialogue with the US envoy.
LaFleur said that the 'affirmative action' policy of assisting bumiputeras in Malaysia as a "key challenge" in encouraging US companies to invest here.
"You place various control on the percentage of ownerships. Some agree these (policies) are designed to promote bumiputeras here. So we have to figure out how to go through those," he said.
On the intellectual property rights, LaFleur said although the Malaysian government has recognised the importance of protecting such rights, the effort taken to address the issue "was less than (what) we would like to see".
"Malaysia is unfortunately one of the leading exporters of counterfeits of entertainment software. It's one downside if you want to put it in a specific place," he said.
Flexibility and understanding
In an interview with malaysiakini last March, the envoy said that Malaysia has the distinction of being the world's largest pirated digital discs exporter and such a reputation may deter foreign investments.
On Tuesday, US Trade Representative Rob Portman and International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz announced that they were launching talks to hammer out a trade deal as Washington strives to tear down barriers to its goods and services in Asia.
Asked to specify the flexibility and understanding required in the trade talks between the two countries which the US envoy was quoted as saying yesterday, LaFleur said: "I have to a little careful not to try to pre-empt the negotiators in this. Nor do I want to make assumption about what Malaysia's position will be."
He said, however, when the US enter into the free-trade agreement negotiation, the principle of the talks was "everything will go on the table".
"This is by nature complex undertakings because we are looking at a lot of trade and services areas as well as economics and impacts on ability of our business people to work in and with those countries," he added.
He said the his economic officers in Kuala Lumpur will be participating in the negotiations by forming various working groups.
Deputy US trade representative Karan Bhatia is slated to visit Malaysia next week to start the negotiations.
Malaysia is the 10th largest trading partner of the US.
* [correction] - Malaysiakini has misquoted US Ambassador to Malaysia Christopher LaFleur as saying that Afta (Asean Free Trade Area) was a key sticking point in the upcoming free-trade talks. LaFleur had instead said 'autos', referring to Malaysia's automobile policy. We apologise for the mistake.
US Ambassador to Malaysia Christopher LaFleur pointed to these three issues when asked about the difficult areas expected in the negotiation talks during a dialogue at the International Islamic University this morning. About 50 lecturers and students of the university attended the dialogue with the US envoy.
LaFleur said that the 'affirmative action' policy of assisting bumiputeras in Malaysia as a "key challenge" in encouraging US companies to invest here.
"You place various control on the percentage of ownerships. Some agree these (policies) are designed to promote bumiputeras here. So we have to figure out how to go through those," he said.
On the intellectual property rights, LaFleur said although the Malaysian government has recognised the importance of protecting such rights, the effort taken to address the issue "was less than (what) we would like to see".
"Malaysia is unfortunately one of the leading exporters of counterfeits of entertainment software. It's one downside if you want to put it in a specific place," he said.
Flexibility and understanding
In an interview with malaysiakini last March, the envoy said that Malaysia has the distinction of being the world's largest pirated digital discs exporter and such a reputation may deter foreign investments.
On Tuesday, US Trade Representative Rob Portman and International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz announced that they were launching talks to hammer out a trade deal as Washington strives to tear down barriers to its goods and services in Asia. Asked to specify the flexibility and understanding required in the trade talks between the two countries which the US envoy was quoted as saying yesterday, LaFleur said: "I have to a little careful not to try to pre-empt the negotiators in this. Nor do I want to make assumption about what Malaysia's position will be."
He said, however, when the US enter into the free-trade agreement negotiation, the principle of the talks was "everything will go on the table".
"This is by nature complex undertakings because we are looking at a lot of trade and services areas as well as economics and impacts on ability of our business people to work in and with those countries," he added.
He said the his economic officers in Kuala Lumpur will be participating in the negotiations by forming various working groups.
Deputy US trade representative Karan Bhatia is slated to visit Malaysia next week to start the negotiations.
Malaysia is the 10th largest trading partner of the US.
* [correction] - Malaysiakini has misquoted US Ambassador to Malaysia Christopher LaFleur as saying that Afta (Asean Free Trade Area) was a key sticking point in the upcoming free-trade talks. LaFleur had instead said 'autos', referring to Malaysia's automobile policy. We apologise for the mistake.
View Comments0