Free trade announcement launches tense EU summit

[pampango]

Source: Radio France International



European Union leaders began a summit Thursday with the announcement of a free trade deal with South Korea, though threats of EU legal action over France's expulsion of Roma and ensuing spats have lent the meeting a tense atmosphere.

Belgian foreign minister Steven Vanackere, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, described the EU's first free trade deal with an Asian country as 'the most ambitious agreement ever'.

"This is the first of a generation of bilateral trade agreements that will bind Europe and Asia together in an ever closer economic bond," Vanackere told reporters.

Negotiators hope to reach a similar deal with India by December. Another deal is in the works with Mercosur, a South American trade bloc comprised of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Read more: http://www.english.rfi.fr/europe/20100916-free-trade-announcement-launches-tense-eu-summit

[dipsydoodle]

1. That's dated yesterday : not today

which is when you posted the first time : http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4542326