politics

Pacific trade negotiators chase elusive final deal in tough talks

19 Comments
By Krista Hughes and Ami Miyazaki

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19 Comments
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Australia, which is being sued by Marlboro maker Philip Morris over tobacco plain packaging laws.

This is the kind of thing we can expect if TPP goes through.

Money taking the place of ethics.

Ever wonder why the "negotiations" are being conducted IN SECRET?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Where is the text of the treaty?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The Dayton Accords should have taught us that negotiations in luxurious Alpine hotels and 5-star tropical beachfront resorts tend to drag on and on and on and on...whereas conferences in airplane hangers in dull Midwestern cities are promptly and successfully concluded!

3 ( +3 / -1 )

Shibuya Boy,

Where indeed is the text of the treaty?

An excellent question.

IT'S SECRET!

Negotiations are being conducted in strict secrecy.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

On balance I hope it fails. It is massively anti-democratic, even though there are a lot of vested interests that might be shaken out by a "successful" conclusion. Democracy should always come before the rights of corporations, otherwise the world will end up like Japan.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

This article makes it sound as if countries are negotiating, when in fact we just have bought and paid bureaucrats and politicians negotiating on behalf of corporate interests.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

warnings against excluding tobacco from rules allowing foreign companies to sue a host government

If we're going to trade in death, how about tariff-free access for napalm and plutonium too?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Usually I'm for trade deals but this one is more than that. The dispute resolution clause lets mega corporations sue countries for trade barriers including regulations. Regulation can be inefficient for societies but could also be something a society cherishes. Do we want cars with massive emission if they cost much cheaper? It is also protecting intellectual property. Feeding Michy Mouse is good maybe but IP means less competition if it lasts unnecessarily. Are we not interested why TTIP was turned down in Europe?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Amazing. A country protecting its citizens from illness and death which costs the nation sorely, can be sued by a foreign corporation for obstructing its right to make profits.

How are the poorer, developing nations, which the tobacco companies are targeting as consumption drops and counter-legislation rises in developed nations, going to cope with that?

These people are evil.

"And we shall profit will the whole of the law".

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Australian Dairy Industry Council chairman Noel Campbell said discussions had gone backwards in some cases and he had hoped for more progress.

TPP IS a massive step backwards.

It's a step backwards to the old feudal baron days.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Australian Dairy Industry Council chairman Noel Campbell said discussions had gone backwards in some cases and he had hoped for more progress.

TPP IS a massive step backwards.

It's a step backwards to the old feudal baron days.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

All governments are selling out their citizens by keeping the text secret and making sure no one votes on it. Corporations are in full control.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The secrecy is really wrong.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

an interesting news article. the only potent concern i think is corporate interest..while tpp might be able to open for public comments later-on, corporate secrecy and manipulation if the deal happen to succeed can be just as sinister afterward.

it will be good if there is a clear and strong safeguard for ordinary citizens in place, and that the ownership should not be in the hands of foreign forces, but domestic ones..if not, tpp need to vanish.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

It should be the other way around. The public get to read the documents and corporations have no say in their execution

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Can't we just stick to the trade of goods in this TPP venture ? I always understood that this was the original purpose. It all seemed to change when the USA jumped in

Goods should be exchanged between countries with tarrifs rmoved. New Zealand lets used cars come in the country without duties so Japan should take their dairy products without tarrifs. Also, the Japanese government should get out of the business of importing and leave it up to Japanese trading companies.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Bag of apples for ¥500 or 1 apple for ¥500. The result is obvious, most people all over the world would choose The bag. They're not interested in TPP,they're interested in getting value for what they spend their hard earned cash on.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Bag of apples for ¥500 or 1 apple for ¥500.

Bag of apples for ¥500 with a gutted middle class and American overloards, or 1 apple for 100-150 yen with independence and no American overlords. That's the actual comparison.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

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