|
BEIJING, Oct. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- Negotiations on a free trade pact between the U.S. and 11 Pacific Rim countries has been extended as obstacles in dairy trade and pharmaceutical patent protection remain. Officials planned a press conference to announce the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP, but had to cancel it later on.
Earlier in the day some negotiators were hopeful for a deal in principle, after narrowing gaps on how long a patent will provide a monopoly to pharmaceutical drugs.
Akira Amari, Japanese Trade Minister said, "We have made major progress in the negotiations that continued through the night on remaining issues in the TPP talks - drugs, dairy market access and autos. This afternoon we will have a plenary session of ministers and think we are making preparations now to announce a deal in principle this afternoon at a news conference. Japan is making its final efforts to support that aim."
"We're in the middle of that, we're doing that now and will continue until we conclude this afternoon. Until we see the documents, we can't confirm what the solution will be. So until everyone is in agreement and we are all dealing with the same document, we don't have an answer," said Ildefonso Guajardo, Mexican Economy Minister.
The pharmaceutical issue has besieged the U.S., which offers 12 years of patent protection for drug makers, while Australia argued for five years of protection to bring down drug prices quickly. The United States and Japan reached agreement in principle on trade in autos and auto parts Saturday.
That deal is expected to give U.S. auto makers years of tariff protection against low-price imports, according to people familiar with the situation. The trans-pacific negotiations are now in their fifth year. The potential deal continues to face criticism in the U.S. and elsewhere over concerns about jobs going to low-wage countries and environmental protections.
(Source: CNTV.cn)
