United States Senator Richard G. Lugar, the Republican Leader of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today introduced legislation encouraging United States officials to initiate Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations between the U.S. and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which presently accounts for the fourth largest export market of the United States.

"I am continuing my efforts to encourage the Obama Administration to announce a comprehensive and long-term strategy toward engaging ASEAN in FTA discussions," Lugar said. "While there may be merit to the Trans-Pacific Partnership and its trade-enhancing prospects, the reluctance of the Obama Administration to signal its commitment to developing a strategy for pursuing an FTA with ASEAN suggests to ASEAN leaders that they should first look to China, India and elsewhere for comprehensive trade interaction. U.S. actions are not matching U.S. words of interest in expanding our relationship with Southeast Asia."

ASEAN is comprised of Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Burma would be excluded from any agreement until political reforms are made.

June 29, 2011

Source: nationmultimedia.com

• US tariff threats over forced labour 'unjustified', Commission says
• US Section 301 Forced Labor Investigation: New Trade Compliance Risks for Viet Nam Exporters
• US cites forced labor concerns as grounds for new tariffs
• Aquatic products face challenge of maintaining market share in US
• Viet Nam extends anti-dumping duties on some Thai sugar products to 2031