Kamal Nath to address council of APTA

New Delhi, Oct 26: Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath will address at the Second Ministerial Council of Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA) here today. Over 30 delegates headed by the respective Ministers or Vice Ministers from the six APTA participating states (Bangladesh, China, India, the Republic of Korea, Lao PDR and Sri Lanka) will attend the meeting.

The most important task on the Ministers" agenda is the launch of the Fourth Round of Tariff Negotiations which when completed will deepen and widen trading relations among the six participating states.

Ministers will also adopt the Agreement on Operational Rules for the Certification and Verification of the Origin of Goods, which is the first time that the economic powerhouses of China, India and Republic of Korea adopt a common set of operational rules.

Together with membership expansion that is expected, to follow in the upcoming years, APTA is emerging as the only truly regional trade agreement that links east, southeast and south Asia.

It is thus becoming an important platform for regional economic cooperation and integration.

ANI>