MANILA, Nov. 13 Kyodo U Trade Rep...

MANILA, Nov. 13 Kyodo

U Trade Representative Robert Zoellick is scheduled to take counsel with economic ministers of member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) nearest week in Manila, Philippine Trade Secretary Manuel Roxas said Wednesday.

''This meeting shall be an acceptable forum for the two the U.S. and the ASEAN members to make their respective proposals for the possible liberated trade agreement (FTA) and economic relationships that the U possibility of goods to foster with us,'' Roxas said in a statement.

The Enterprise for ASEAN Initiative, a U trade initiative that will work for as a road map for the signing of FTAs between the United States and ASEAN members, will be discussed, he said.

Roxas said the U.S.-ASEAN meeting nearest Wednesday will also touch upon the compulsory licensing of critical pharmaceutical productions which he said could help ASEAN countries lower medicine costs.

The U.S.-ASEAN dialogue was activated after the ASEAN economic ministers and Zoellick met in Bangkok last April.

ASEAN is compos of Singapore, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

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