No Tangible Progress Leaves Troublesome FTA Issues Undone
Five days of talks in the sixth round of FTA negotiations between Seoul and Washington have concluded in Seoul. They produced some fruit in product trading sectors, but observers say that they left troublesome core issues such as trade remedies, automobiles and pharmaceuticals undone for the next round.
At a news briefing at Seoul Shilla Hotel, top Korean FTA envoy Kim Jong Hoon stated, “We made some progress in product and financial sectors, but I found we still have largely different stances in hot core issues on trade remedies, automobiles, and pharmaceuticals.” he forecast, “The issues wouldn’t be resolved even in the seventh round.”
Concerning these issues that both top envoys, Kim from Seoul and Wendy Cutler from Washington, tried to negotiate in face to face discussions during the sixth round of discussions, Kim said, “I expect Wendy Cutler to do her homework well at home and return to the table with a flexible and negotiable response.”
Meanwhile, Cutler optimistically evaluated the result of the sixth round, saying “We had a new and vigorous atmosphere,” stressing, “even though there were no announcements on the trade remedies, automobile and pharmaceutical issues, we don’t look at it as a negative sign.” Washington has demanded Seoul tear down barriers in heavily protected core trouble sectors like automobiles and pharmaceuticals.
Experts say that because both sides failed to narrow their rigid stances on hot issues, they have a big burden to resolve those issues over the coming seventh round of talks in Washington in February. Some watchers forecast that they will be likely top the agenda at the Korea-U.S. summit in Washington D.C. this week, because Washington’s TPA (Trade Promotion Authority) for Korea-US FTA is coming soon.
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 / 입력시간: 2007. 01.23. 08:29
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