US-Lanka to expand trade and investment
Walter JAYAWARDHANA
The meeting between Sri Lanka and United States at the sixth US-Sri
Lanka Trade and Investment Framework Agreement Council meeting held in
Washington deepened both countries’ commitment to expand bilateral trade
and investment, said Deputy US Trade representative John K. Veroneau.
The US delegation was led by Deputy US Trade Representative John K.
Veroneau. Minister for Export Development and International Trade, Prof.
G.L. Peiris led the Sri Lankan delegation.
“We are honored to play a role in supporting Sri Lanka’s economic
development by enhancing opportunities for trade, particularly in the
wake of the tsunami that devastated so much of Sri Lanka in late 2004,”
Ambassador Veroneau said. “Today’s meetings served to identify areas of
common interest and deepen our commitment to expanded bilateral trade
and investment between our two countries.”
“Sri Lanka continues to value the importance of long-standing trade
and political relations with the United States of America, which is the
largest single market for its exports,” said Minister Peiris.
“The TIFA process provides an ideal platform for the two countries to
engage in a constructive dialogue in further enhancing these relations
for their mutual benefit. Enhancing market access for its exports and
promoting close cooperation for capacity building in areas such as IPR,
customs, anti-dumping and countervailing duties, information technology,
etc., rank very high on Sri Lanka’s agenda in this context.”
U.S. and Sri Lankan officials reviewed progress in addressing
bilateral trade and investment issues identified at the last TIFA
Council meeting in November 2006, including common interests on which
the two countries can work together to facilitate expanded trade and
cooperation.
They discussed the status of the ongoing WTO/Doha negotiations, Sri
Lanka’s use of the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program,
and U.S. trade capacity building assistance to Sri Lanka.
In addition, the TIFA Council discussed issues affecting U.S.
exports, such as Sri Lanka’s agricultural biotechnology policies, import
tariffs, intellectual property rights protection, and transparency in
government procurement.
On July 2, 2002, the United States and Sri Lanka signed a Trade and
Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) that provides a forum for both
countries to examine ways to expand bilateral trade and investment.
(EOM) |