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Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Malaysia will not bow to whatever pressure from the US in the negotiations for the pact.
<P>"We reject the pressure being inflicted on us. We are a sovereign
country and has our own stand," he told reporters after launching a Community
College’s rebranding campaign here today.</P><P>Abdullah was reacting to a statement
made by US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Lantos
who demanded the U.S. President George W. Bush to suspend all FTA negotiations
with Malaysia, in protest over the US$16 billion (RM57.6 billion) preliminary
deal signed between Malaysia’s SKS Group and the state-owned National Iranian
Oil Company last month.</P><P>Subsequently, Lantos sent a letter to US trade representative,
Susan Schwab, asking that all the FTA negotiations with Malaysia be suspended
until Malaysia cancels the energy deal.</P><P>Chairman Tom Lantos, who demanded
that US President George W. Bush suspend all FTA negotiations with Malaysia, in
protest over the deal signed between Malaysia’s SKS Group and the state-owned
National Iranian Oil Company.</P><P>Lantos, who heads the House of Representatives’
top foreign affairs panel, minced no words when he described the Malaysia-Iran
deal as "abhorrent", describing the deal as a "disturbing development"
over which the Bush administration must act swiftly.</P><P>The deal is to develop
Iran’s southern Golshan and Ferdos gas fields and build plants to produce liquefied
natural gas, Iranian state TV reported on Jan 7.</P><P>Abdullah said the US has
no right to prevent Malaysia from forging trade ties with other countries just
because of the Malaysia-U.S. FTA.</P><P>"This is a question of business.
Do not insert politically-related matters to the talks. For this agreement, no
political matter is needed to be brought to the negotiating table," he said.</P><P>Asked
whether the Malaysia-U.S. relationship will be strained by the latest developments
Abdullah said: "We maintain our stand. In politics, we share differing views
but we are sticking to our stand. Political matters should not be brought into
business. We will see what they (US businessmen) have to say."</P><P>On whether
Malaysia will be revising the agreement with the US, he said: "We shall see.""</P><P>Among
the early conditions agreed upon for the FTA negotiations were that there should
not be political agenda to the talks; the agreement must be market-oriented; and
both governments must not interfere in domestic policies.</P><P>Meanwhile, Deputy
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak also echoed a similar stand against
the US’ threats, saying Malaysia will maintain its position and sovereignty.</P><P>He
said Malaysia acknowledged that the FTA would benefit the country’s economy, but
to ensure the principles of national sovereignty were protected, the government
would not allow America to use the FTA to jeopardise Malaysia’s domestic interests.</P><P>"We
must protect our sovereignty such as (the decision) on purchases (by) the government,
among others," he told reporters after officiating at theThird Malay Civilisation
International Conference here today, reports Bernama</P><P>The two-day conference
organised by the Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris’ Institute of Malay Civilisation,
was attended by 300 people, including academicians locally and abroad.</P><P>Meanwhile,
the visit by US deputy trade representative Karan Bhatia, who is in Malaysia to
negotiate the FTA with the Malaysian government, is being closely monitored by
US politicians.</P><P>In reaction to the US move, International Trade and Industry
Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz yesterday said the US had no right to stop Malaysiafrom
having trade deals with any country, even after it had concluded a FTA with the
US.</P><P>Rafidah said in retaliation she was prepared to advice the government
to immediately suspend FTA talks with the US.</P><P>The US and Malaysia began
talks last June and have scheduled a fifth round on the proposed FTA this month.</P><P>US
negotiators have been under pressure to reach a deal by the end of March, but
difficult issues remain.</P><P>The two countries had two-way trade in 2005 of
US$44 billion. The US is Malaysia’s biggest trading partner and foreign investor,
while Malaysia is the US.10th-largest trading partner.</P><P>Najib said the FTA,
despite its benefits, should not be at the expense of the key national policies.</P><P>He
said while not denying that Malaysia wanted the FTA, which is an opportunity for
the nation to increase trade, investment and technology transfer, "the conditions
must be in the interest of the nation".</P><P>Malaysia’s position had been
explained to the US authorities in the FTA negotiations, and was in fact used
as a guideline for the International Trade and Industry Ministry (MITI) officials
involved in the negotiations, he said.</P><P>On claims by Johor Mentri Besar Datuk
Abdul Ghani Othman last Tuesday (Jan 30) that Singapore’s land reclamation works
at Pulau Tekong contributed to the recent massive floods in Johor, Najib said
it was important that a technical study be made before any decision is made.</P><P>Ghani
said the reclamation had caused narrowing of the Johor Rivermouth and slowed the
discharge of excess rain water into the Johor Straits.</P><P>He said the technical
study was important when dealing with Singapore as without it, the city state
may adopt a different position on the matter.</P><P>He however did not say when
the technical study would be completed, but added that the matter would be looked
into by a technical committee of experts which, among others, would ascertain
the real cause of the floods.</P>
<P><I>Source: http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=16892</I>
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