A new round of talks on a free trade agreement between the United States, Colombia and Ecuador has been delayed for logistical reasons until Jan. 25 to 31, officials told local media on Wednesday.

The meeting has been rescheduled from the previous dates of Jan. 23 to 27. Negotiators have to resolve differences over agricultural and intellectual property rights, which are considered the most sensitive for the Andean countries, according to Colombian Agriculture Minister Andres Felipe Arias.

Colombia, Ecuador and Peru jointly began trade talks with the United States in May 2004. Peru then went it alone, signing a bilateral treaty with Washington last month. Colombia and Ecuador decided to maintain their negotiating stance in order to achieve a favorable deal for both countries.

There have been 13 rounds of talks since the free trade negotiations began.

Source: Xinhua