US, Colombia nearer free trade pact after intellectual property deal

The United States and Colombia moved one step closer to a free trade agreement on Friday, reaching a deal on intellectual property (IP), but agricultural liberalization remains a major obstacle, local media reported.

The most important part of Friday's IP deal allows Colombia to produce generic drugs, violating U.S. patents, if faced with a public health emergency. It follows a Thursday agreement on investment, which means that the 14th round of the Colombia-U.S. talks is steadily reducing the number of outstanding issues. The two parties agreed to resume negotiations on Tuesday.

Textiles, state purchasing arrangements, institutional rules, agriculture, and the hygiene rules covering animals and plants, remain to be agreed upon, with agriculture being the most difficult to resolve. Colombia wants the U.S. to open up its markets in tobacco, milk, meat, poultry and sugar.

After a Thursday meeting between U.S. President George W. Bush and his Colombian counterpart Alvaro Uribe, Bush said that he wants a free trade deal to be completed in this round of talks. On Friday, Uribe spoke separately with Condoleezza Rice, the U.S. secretary of state, and Mike Johanns, the secretary of agriculture.

Uribe arrived in Washington accompanied by 100 Colombian business leaders. He is due back in Colombia on Saturday, but might return to Washington next week to join the talks on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Colombia first began negotiating with the United States along with Peru and Ecuador in May 2004, hoping to reach a four-way deal. Talks proved slow and Peru broke away from the group to sign a bilateral deal with the United States.

Source: Xinhua