DALLAS, May 16 (Reuters) – Talks on a regional free trade
agreement between the United States and eight countries in the
fast-growing Asia-Pacific region made good progress over the
past week, but tough issues remain, the top U.S. trade
negotiator on the deal said on Wednesday.
“While we have work ahead, we see a clear path forward
toward conclusion of most of more than the 20 chapters of the
agreement,” Barbara Weisel, assistant U.S. trade representative
for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, told reporters.
Weisel said the nine countries negotiating the proposed
Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) pact will meet again in early
July in San Diego and “hope to use that round to make a major
step forward toward conclusion of the agreement.”
The TPP is a key element of President Barack Obama’s
so-called pivot toward Asia to help propel U.S. economic growth.
It is seen as an important tool to keep the United States
anchored in the region as China’s economic might grows.
The eight other TPP countries – Australia, New Zealand,
Chile, Peru, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei – as a
group are already the fourth largest U.S. market for goods and
services exports.
The countries face a host of difficult issues, ranging from
Vietnam’s interest in better access to the U.S. textile and
clothing market to U.S. demands for tough new rules on
“state-owned enterprises” to make sure they don’t have an unfair
trade advantage in the region over private companies.
U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and top trade officials
from the other eight TPP countries will meet in early June in
Kazan, Russia on the sidelines of the annual Asia Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) trade ministers meeting.
Weisel, who resisted predicting how soon countries could
reach a final agreement, said the nine TPP ministers would
“discuss progress achieved to date and agree on a plan forward.”
The top trade officials will also discuss Japan, Canada and
Mexico’s applications to join the talks.
All three countries expressed interest in November and still
have not been given an answer.
(Reporting by Marice Richter; Writing by Doug Palmer; Editing
by Vicki Allen)
