Peru, C. America finish first round of FTA talks

Peru and five Central American countries finished their first round of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations here Friday, agreeing to reinforce their commercial ties.

During the talks, representatives from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama and Peru discussed issues such as access to the goods market, origin rules, customs procedures and cooperation, sanitary and phytosanitary measures.

They also negotiated trade technical obstacles, commerce defense, competence of policies, services and investments, trade mark, public purchases, institutional issues and solution of controversies.

Peruvian representative Eduardo Brandes said that there were important advances and the six countries expected to have an exchange of goods and services with more and better guaranties on Jan 10, 2011 at the latest.

The meeting also opened the door for Nicaragua to join the coming round of negotiations, which will be held in Panama City on Jan. 17-21, 2011.

Trade between Peru and the Common Market of Central America (MCCA) reached 229 million U.S. dollars in 2009. The MCCA groups Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. 
(Source:xinhua)