Deep
divisions over TPP as US pressures to close controversial deal –
WikiLeaks
The
US is ramping up pressure to secure a Trans-Pacific Trade Deal with
conditions that could undermine the national interests of nations
involved. WikiLeaks documents say talks are “paralyzed,” with the
US refusing to compromise on disputed issues.
RT,
9
December, 2013
Anti-secrecy
group WikiLeaks has released two documents revealing the state of
negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The deal in
question includes 12 countries – the United States, Japan, Mexico,
Canada, Australia, Malaysia, Chile, Singapore, Peru, Vietnam, New
Zealand and Brunei – which represent more than 40 percent of the
world’s gross domestic product.
The
12 nations are in Singapore this week to discuss the trade agreement.
Following a closed-door meeting in Singapore, Japan's trade minister
Yasutoshi Nishimura told press he would like “the United States to
show flexibility.”
"I've
already mentioned the parts we can't budge on, so the issue is what
both sides can do based on that,” Nishimura said.
Details
of the deal had been hidden from the public eye until last month when
WikiLeaks divulged a trove of information describing the ins and outs
of the agreement. Washington has been criticized for not revealing
the details of the agreement.
WikiLeaks’
files show that there is significant disagreement over 119
outstanding issues, with the US refusing to compromise on a number of
contentious issues. It is not clear from which of the 12 countries
participating in the talks the leaks came.
“The
US is exerting great pressure to close as many issues as possible
this week,” reads one of the documents. “One country remarked
that up until now there had been no perceivable, substantial movement
on the part of the US, and that is the reason for this situation.”
The
Obama administration has called on all parties involved in the deal
to reach an agreement before the end of the year. However, disputes
over key issues may lead to “a partial closure scenario or even a
failure in December.”
The
deal has been hailed by Washington as a “number one priority”
that will boost the economies of all the participating countries. But
some of the conditions have sparked criticism that the nations
involved in the deal may see their interests undermined.
Among
the issues blocking the agreement stipulates new powers for
multinationals that would allow them to challenge country laws in
privately run international courts. Washington has endorsed such
powers in previous trade deals such as the North American Free Trade
Agreement (NAFTA), but conditions in the TPP could grant
multinational more powers to challenge a wider range of laws. Under
NAFTA several companies including Dow Chemicals and Exxon Mobil have
sought to overrule regulations on fracking, oil drilling and drug
patents.
“The
United States, as in previous rounds, has shown no flexibility on its
proposal, being one of the most significant barriers to closing the
chapter,” said a memo from one of the participating countries
obtained by the Huffington Post.
Furthermore,
among the rumored conditions in the treaty are new standards that
would grant pharmaceutical companies new intellectual property
rights. The regulations would extend patents, giving companies
monopolies on new medications and potentially pushing up prices in
the developing countries participating in the deal.
“If
instituted, the TPP’s IP regime would trample over individual
rights and free expression, as well as ride roughshod over the
intellectual and creative commons,” said WikiLeaks founder Julian
Assange in a November statement. “If you read, write, publish,
think, listen, dance, sing or invent; if you farm or consume food; if
you’re ill now or might one day be ill, the TPP has you in its
crosshairs.”
Rights
groups have also voiced their opposition to the treaty and slammed
reforms that they say would limit freedoms on the web. Organization
Open Media have launched a petition against the TPP’s “extreme
online censorship” and have already collected over 100,000
signatures
Good
coverage from Radio New Zealand
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