ID :
70217
Mon, 07/13/2009 - 20:16
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/70217
The shortlink copeid
S. Korea, Sweden declare end of Korea-EU FTA talks: Cheong Wa Dae
(ATTN: UPDATES with more details, additional background, information)
By Byun Duk-kun
STOCKHOLM, July 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Swedish
Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt on Monday declared the end of negotiations for a
South Korea-EU free trade deal and called on negotiators to quickly sign the
accord, Seoul's presidential office said.
"The two leaders welcomed the final agreement on the Korea-EU FTA (free trade
agreement) and expressed hope it will quickly be initialed," the Cheong Wa Dae
said in a press release.
Lee and Reinfeldt held a summit here in the Swedish capital. The six-month
rotating presidency of the European Union has been held by Sweden since the
beginning of the month.
An official accompanying the South Korean president earlier said Seoul and the
executive body of the EU had reached agreement on the final draft of the proposed
FTA. The EU's Article 133 Committee, which handles the bloc's major trade
policies including the FTAs, approved the final draft on Friday.
"There is no longer any opposition to the Korea-EU FTA, so Monday's declaration
by the two heads of state (Lee and Reinfeldt) of the end of negotiations will be,
in fact, a declaration that a final deal has been struck," the official told
reporters, asking not to be identified.
The two leaders did not say explicitly they have struck an agreement because
technically, such an announcement for the EU side needs to be made by the
European Commission, the executive body of the EU, he said.
The European Commission has agreed to skip a separate declaration ceremony,
apparently acknowledging Monday's announcement by Lee and Reinfeldt as the
official announcement of the accord, the official said.
South Korea and the EU have already agreed to begin their legal reviews and
initial the document in September, according to the official.
It is expected to be formally signed near the end of the year after the accord is
put into the 23 different languages used in the EU's 27 member nations for their
final review, he said.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
By Byun Duk-kun
STOCKHOLM, July 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Swedish
Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt on Monday declared the end of negotiations for a
South Korea-EU free trade deal and called on negotiators to quickly sign the
accord, Seoul's presidential office said.
"The two leaders welcomed the final agreement on the Korea-EU FTA (free trade
agreement) and expressed hope it will quickly be initialed," the Cheong Wa Dae
said in a press release.
Lee and Reinfeldt held a summit here in the Swedish capital. The six-month
rotating presidency of the European Union has been held by Sweden since the
beginning of the month.
An official accompanying the South Korean president earlier said Seoul and the
executive body of the EU had reached agreement on the final draft of the proposed
FTA. The EU's Article 133 Committee, which handles the bloc's major trade
policies including the FTAs, approved the final draft on Friday.
"There is no longer any opposition to the Korea-EU FTA, so Monday's declaration
by the two heads of state (Lee and Reinfeldt) of the end of negotiations will be,
in fact, a declaration that a final deal has been struck," the official told
reporters, asking not to be identified.
The two leaders did not say explicitly they have struck an agreement because
technically, such an announcement for the EU side needs to be made by the
European Commission, the executive body of the EU, he said.
The European Commission has agreed to skip a separate declaration ceremony,
apparently acknowledging Monday's announcement by Lee and Reinfeldt as the
official announcement of the accord, the official said.
South Korea and the EU have already agreed to begin their legal reviews and
initial the document in September, according to the official.
It is expected to be formally signed near the end of the year after the accord is
put into the 23 different languages used in the EU's 27 member nations for their
final review, he said.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
