2006 Programs and Events

Ambassador Haslach and Lao Minister of Commerce, Dr. Nam Viyaket, open a ASEAN Trade negotiation course

Ambassador Haslach and Lao Minister of Commerce, Dr. Nam Viyaket, open a ASEAN Trade negotiation course

On July 26 Ambassador Haslach and the new Lao Minister of Commerce, Dr. Nam Viyaket, opened a USAID and ASEAN Trade Secretariat-sponsored trade facilitation activity, the ASEAN-US Technical Assistance and Training Facility, at the Lao Plaza Hotel in Vientiane. The three-day trade negotiation course, intended to facilitate WTO accession as well as to build negotiating skills in trade officials, was attended by Lao, Vietnamese, and Cambodian representatives. It was conducted by three American international trade experts. Mr. Richard Self gave an overview of the WTO and addressed trade in services. Mr. Lance Graef covered regional and bilateral trade agreements and stimulation of trade negotiations. Mr. James Waller offered discussions of investment policies and models for trade negotiations-related coordination and dialogue. |Ambassador's Speech|