| ASEAN conduct trade negotiation with India
ASEAN trade negotiation delegates are meeting with their Indian counterpart to find conclusions to proposed tariff reduction plans. The Deputy Director General of the Department of Trade Negotiations, Mr. Chana Khanarattanadirok ( ѵš), revealed progress into a trade negotiation meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, between ASEAN delegates and the Indian government . Mr. Chana report that ASEAN representatives have compromised by reducing the number of proposed goods for a 0 percent Indian tax exemption to 4,300. ASEAN delegates have also called on India to expand access to its market, especially for goods such as rice, processed food, rubber, textiles, and garments. India has affirmed, however, that it is currently unable to lower tariff rates beyond current levels. Indian officials said that a proposed plan to allow a maximum 5% tariff rate for 490 article of goods could not be considered for the ASEAN community as a whole, but had to be calculated on a per country basis.
Mediation program to go ahead
Landlords and their tenants will soon have a way to settle their disagreements out of court, after the City Commission unanimously approved a mediation pilot program Wednesday. The program, spearheaded by Commissioner Andrew Gillum, is aimed at college students but will be open to all tenants and landlords who wish to participate. The free program, administered by the city, will rely on volunteer mediators certified by the Florida Supreme Court, and is not expected to cost the city anything; it has the blessing of Tallahassee's two universities, several landlords and court officials, City Attorney Jim English said.
The certified mediators are exempt from liability, just like judges. .
EU Envoy Meets Karabakh Leader In Yerevan
The European Unions special representative to the South Caucasus, Peter Semneby, paid a brief visit to Yerevan on Friday to discuss efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Arkady Ghukasian, the Armenian-populated regions president.
I wouldnt say it was a negotiation, he told reporters after the meeting with Ghukasian. It was an exchange of opinions on overall situation in Karabakh and the negotiation process.
Like other European and U.S. officials, Semneby expressed hope that the conflicting parties will step up their protracted search for a mutually acceptable solution after the May 12 parliamentary elections in Armenia.
It is very important to build on progress that has been made in the negotiation process since the Minsk meeting [in November last year] of the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents, he said.
Optimism surrounds support staff strike
DURHAM -- Striking school support staff could be heading back to work sooner rather than later. The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and Durham District School Board are heading back to negotiations with the assistance of mediator William Kaplan. Meetings are scheduled for March 30 to April 2. Since March 21, 2,100 secretarial, custodial and maintenance, and educational assistant employees in Durham public schools have been on strike. Unresolved issues include wages, benefits, staffing, job postings and the threat of contract workers. Don Bryans, CUPE Local 218 president, is optimistic both sides will be able to resolve their issues through the mediation process. "Kaplan's a very strong mediator," said Mr. Bryans and added he's known for being able to push parties into working together for a deal.
Qualcomm Equates Nokia to Shoplifter
Wireless communications company Qualcomm fired back at Nokia Thursday afternoon, calling the phone maker's $20 million payment "nominal" and filing an arbitration demand requesting that Nokia be forced extend a royalty agreement set to expire on April 9. In announcing its payment, which involves WCDMA/UMTS patents granted to Qualcomm, Nokia said it believed the sum was fair and had no intention of extending the previous agreement, which would cost the firm much more than $20 million. Nokia added that it would make future payments, but offered no further details. .
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