ID :
27036
Tue, 10/28/2008 - 16:29
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/27036
The shortlink copeid
(LEAD) S. Korea, EU likely to sign free trade agreement this year: EU official
SEOUL, Oct. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the European Union (EU) are expected to reach a free trade agreement (FTA) within the year, as the two sides have narrowed differences on all major sticking points, a senior EU official said Tuesday.
"We have had clear information (from South Korea) that we will come to an end to
the free trade agreement before the end of 2008," Hubert Pirker, chairman of the
European Parliament's foreign affairs committee, told a press conference here.
"We have compromises in all the key issues. Some small points should be solved on
a technical level during the next weeks. So we can be really optimistic of the
free trade agreement," he added, without elaborating what those "small points"
were.
Pirker arrived in Seoul on Sunday for a six-day stay, leading a seven-member EU
delegation. Their trip is focused on three main issues _ the ongoing global
financial crisis, FTA negotiations, and inter-Korean relations, the official
said. The delegation met with South Korean Prime Minister Han Seung-soo and other
senior officials.
South Korea began talks on the FTA with the world's largest economic bloc last
year. They plan to hold the eighth round of negotiations in Seoul in
mid-December. The two sides reportedly remain apart on the terms of automobile
trade such as tariffs.
Pirker pointed out that South Korea is a strong partner in the fight against the
economic crisis, citing its healthy economy and dynamic activity in many export
markets.
He also reiterated European nations' commitment to provide development aid to
North Korea on the condition that the North fully cooperates in international
denuclearization efforts.
"From the North Korean sides, we expect cooperation for verification in full
accordance with the verification protocol. This will help us to give more
development aid to the North," he said, referring to a recent deal on ways to
check the secretive communist nation's nuclear claims.
He urged the two Koreas to restart dialogue that has been suspended since the
conservative South Korean government took office in February.
"The European Union offers, once more, its full support as a so-called neutral
partner to the peace process of Korea," he said.
lcd@yna.co.kr
"We have had clear information (from South Korea) that we will come to an end to
the free trade agreement before the end of 2008," Hubert Pirker, chairman of the
European Parliament's foreign affairs committee, told a press conference here.
"We have compromises in all the key issues. Some small points should be solved on
a technical level during the next weeks. So we can be really optimistic of the
free trade agreement," he added, without elaborating what those "small points"
were.
Pirker arrived in Seoul on Sunday for a six-day stay, leading a seven-member EU
delegation. Their trip is focused on three main issues _ the ongoing global
financial crisis, FTA negotiations, and inter-Korean relations, the official
said. The delegation met with South Korean Prime Minister Han Seung-soo and other
senior officials.
South Korea began talks on the FTA with the world's largest economic bloc last
year. They plan to hold the eighth round of negotiations in Seoul in
mid-December. The two sides reportedly remain apart on the terms of automobile
trade such as tariffs.
Pirker pointed out that South Korea is a strong partner in the fight against the
economic crisis, citing its healthy economy and dynamic activity in many export
markets.
He also reiterated European nations' commitment to provide development aid to
North Korea on the condition that the North fully cooperates in international
denuclearization efforts.
"From the North Korean sides, we expect cooperation for verification in full
accordance with the verification protocol. This will help us to give more
development aid to the North," he said, referring to a recent deal on ways to
check the secretive communist nation's nuclear claims.
He urged the two Koreas to restart dialogue that has been suspended since the
conservative South Korean government took office in February.
"The European Union offers, once more, its full support as a so-called neutral
partner to the peace process of Korea," he said.
lcd@yna.co.kr
