KUALA LUMPUR (Thomson Financial) - Malaysia will resume talks with the
United States on a free trade deal in July, but has taken the sensitive sectors
of government procurement and competition off the agenda, state media said.
Malaysia's trade minister Muhyiddin Yassin made the announcement during a
visit to the United States, the Bernama news agency reported late Saturday.
Muhyiddin said Malaysia would not negotiate on government procurement and
competition policies -- two topics that have bogged down the long-stalled talks
on a free trade agreement (FTA) in the past.
The negotiations, which began in March 2006, hit a deadlock during the
seventh round in Kuala Lumpur in January, after a year-long pause.
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