US, Thailand discuss resuming free trade talks http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyID=2006-07-10T205343Z_01_N10366328_RTRUKOC_0_US-TRADE-THAILAND-USA.xml&archived=False
Mon Jul 10, 2006
By Doug Palmer
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. and Thai trade officials discussed plans for resuming free trade talks put on hold earlier this year because of political turmoil in Thailand, a U.S. trade official said on Monday.
U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab and Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak agreed to hold "informal consultations ... to build a platform that would allow for rapid pickup of FTA (free trade agreement) negotiations under a new government," U.S. trade spokeswoman Neena Moorjani said. The informal talks will take place by telephone and e-mail, Moorjani said. Negotiations on the proposed U.S.-Thailand Free Trade Agreement have been fraught with delays since they were launched two years ago -- the latest because of a political crisis that has gripped Thailand for months.
Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, faced with mass street protests that threatened his ability to rule, called and won a snap election in April. However, Thai courts later declared the vote invalid and a new election is tentatively scheduled for October 15.
U.S. and Thai negotiators last held a formal round of talks on the proposed free trade agreement in January. That session, in the northern city of Chiang Mai, was marked by protests that forced negotiators to move to a new venue.
After the January meeting, lead U.S. negotiator Barbara Weisel said the United States could abandon the free trade talks unless they made more progress soon.
Thailand has duty-free access to the U.S. market for many of its exports under the Generalized System of Preferences program. That legislation expires at the end of 2006 and key lawmakers have said it will not be extended.
A free trade pact would lock in and expand duty-free access for Thailand, while also requiring the Southeast Asian country to lower barriers to U.S. goods and services. .
Meanwhile, the White House's authority to negotiate free trade agreements that can not be changed by Congress expires on July 1, 2007. Unless that legislation is extended, the United States and Thailand would have to reach an agreement by early next year to get it through Congress in time.
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