Issues including intellectual property, labour and the environment may prove a sticking point in discussions between ASEAN nations and Australia and New Zealand regarding a planned free trade agreement.
According to reports in the regional media, the government of the Philippines is heading the campaign to have the issues removed from the negotiations, arguing that the ten Association of South-East Asian Nations members are at very different stages of development, and may not be able to satisfy Australia and New Zealand in the areas in question.
Speaking to ABC Online, an official with the Philippines Department of Trade and Industry confirmed that:
"There are sensitive areas to ASEAN but Australia and New Zealand want to have discussion on it in the FTA."
The ASEAN member states are hoping instead to focus discussions on the remaining issues of investment, trade and services, but whether this will be deemed acceptable by the Australasian negotiating team remains to be seen.
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