..Press Release................................ UNESCAP News Services

Date 28 October 2005
Press Release No: N/58/2005

MINISTERS TO CHANGE NAME OF BANGKOK AGREEMENT
TO ASIA-PACIFIC TRADE AGREEMENT

Ministerial Council set to meet in Beijing on 2 November

BANGKOK (United Nations Information Services) – Ministers meeting at the First Session of the Ministerial Council of the Bangkok Agreement set for 2 November in Beijing are expected to formally change the Agreement’s name to “Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement” or APTA.

China 's Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai and UNESCAP Executive Secretary Kim Hak-Su will both address the session.

Also on the agenda is the evolving situation regarding regional trade arrangements, expansion of membership, launch of a fourth round of preferential tariff negotiations, and adoption of a Ministerial Declaration.

Signed in 1975 as an initiative of UNESCAP, the Bangkok Agreement is Asia’s oldest preferential trade agreement between developing countries. It aims to promote intra-regional trade through an exchange of mutually-agreed concessions.

Bangladesh, India, Republic of Korea, Lao PDR and Sri Lanka are the Agreement's founding members, with China acceding in 2001. All of UNESCAP developing member countries are eligible to accede to the Agreement.

The Bangkok Agreement is administered by a Standing Committee made up of all the participating States. UNESCAP’s Trade and Investment Division functions as its Secretariat.

More information on the Agreement is available at www.unescap.org/tid/Bkkagr.asp.

For further information, please contact:
Mr. Xuan Zengpei
Director
Trade and Investment Division
UNESCAP, UN Building
Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Tel: +(66-2) 288-1466
Fax: +(6602) 288-1027

For media inquiries, please contact:
David Lazarus, Chief
UN Information Services
UNESCAP, UN Building
Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Tel: +(66-2) 288-1861/66
Fax: +(6602) 288-1052
E-mail: unisbkk.unescap@un.org

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