16-Dec-2004
Daily Star
Lebanese farmers say the Greater Arab Free Trade Agreement (Gafta) could wipe them out when it goes into effect Jan. 1. If that happens, they promise to take to the streets in protest.
16-Dec-2004
As the first Arab nation, the government of Egypt yesterday signed a trade pact with its neighbour Israel that will help breaking the latter's economic isolation. After the controversial trade agreement was made known, demonstrations broke out throughout the Egyptian capital, Cairo.
16-Dec-2004
Jakarta Post
The governments of Japan and Indonesia are mulling a new economic agreement, which would see the latter offering Japanese firms incentives to invest here.
16-Dec-2004
EU
At the fifth Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Hanoi, PM Jean Claude Juncker, incoming President of the European Council, President Romano Prodi of the European Commission, PM Thaksin Shinawatra of Thailand and PM Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore confirmed their intent to launch official negotiations for the conclusion of bilateral 'Partnership and Co-operation Agreements' between EU-Thailand and between EU-Singapore.
16-Dec-2004
IPS
In last week's parliamentary elections, Taiwan's opposition party won a surprise victory which could spell trouble for a bilateral FTA with the United States.
16-Dec-2004
Yonhap
South Korea will make a determined effort to pursue free trade agreements (FTAs) in an effort to further its interests, despite concerns that this could weaken domestic industries and pose further challenges for the agricultural sector.
16-Dec-2004
PM
Australian businesses are preparing for an assault on the $200 billion US Government procurement market when the US-Australia FTA takes effect in just over a fortnight.
15-Dec-2004
Pravda
In a new bid to challenge the US backed Free Trade Area of the Americas, Cuban President Fidel Castro and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Tuesday announced in Havana an alternative bloc for the region based in mutual cooperation among states rather than in pure pro-market policies.
15-Dec-2004
ANN
A report on the status of FTA fever in 12 Asian countries: Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.
15-Dec-2004
The Nation
Until April, South Korea was the only member of the World Trade Organisation other than Mongolia without a free-trade agreement (FTA). Now it is trying to catch up in a hurry.
