Asia-Pacific gov'ts ready for trade talks on services

SEOUL, Dec. 15 (Yonhap) -- Government officials from six countries in
Asia-Pacific signed Tuesday a "framework agreement" paving the way for talks on
how to foster regional trade in the services sector.

South Korea, China, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Laos reached the deal at a
meeting held in Seoul for the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA), according to
the South Korean Ministry of Strategy and Finance.
The APTA, previously known as the Bangkok Agreement, is an agreement signed in
1975 to promote regional trade through mutually agreed concessions by member
countries. China was included later in 2001.
Based on the framework, the six nations are expected to launch negotiations
during the second half of next year, the ministry said.
The ministry expects new talks could help South Korea further expand its
service-sector surplus with the other member nations.
It also hopes they might provide a base on which the country can accelerate its
move for a free trade deal with China, one of the world's largest markets.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
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