PERU TO HOST NINTH ROUND OF TPP TALKS ON OCT. 24-28

Lima, February 14- Peru will host the ninth round of negotiations toward a multilateral Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement from October 24 to 28 this year, Trade and Tourism Minister Eduardo Ferreyros announced Sunday.

"Delegations from the nine participating countries will visit Peru on Oct. 24-28 to attend the ninth round of TPP talks, one of the most important events in the world calendar," he said.

According to Ferreyros, a goal set at the TPP leaders' meeting on the sidelines of last year's APEC Summit was to conclude negotiations by the end of 2011, which is why the ninth round in Peru assumes special significance as it will be the last meeting of the year.

He went on to add that the Peruvian negotiating team is already in Chile to participate in the fifth round of negotiations scheduled for February 14-18.

The Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement is a proposed new regional free trade agreement which builds on an existing Free Trade Agreement between New Zealand, Chile, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam. The negotiations now include the United States, Australia, Peru, Vietnam and Malaysia, with several others including Japan expressing interest in joining.

Official negotiations began in Melbourne on 15th March 2010. Four negotiation meetings were held during 2010 and a further five official negotiating rounds have been scheduled during 2011.

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