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 Kerry said many challenges remained in thrashing out a Trans-Pacific
Partnership (TPP), particularly on issues of autos and dairy, but
the United States would do everything in its power to make it
happen.
"There are a few remaining issues ... which I am confident will be
resolved," Kerry told a news joint conference with Vietnamese
Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh in Hanoi.
"We are hoping very much that over the course of the next couple of
months, before the end of the year, TPP can be completed," he said.
The U.S.-inspired TPP is a "mega regional" accord set to cover 12
countries with a combined gross domestic product of $28 trillion,
among them Australia and Japan.
Kerry likened the TPP talks to a deal negotiated over 18 months
between Iran and six other countries to lift sanctions in return for
curbs on a nuclear program Iran insists is peaceful.
"It's very complicated. I will tell you that having just negotiated
with Iran ... there were six of us all with expertise, all with our
own opinions and we had to come together in order to agree on what
we would then negotiate with Iran.
"This is the same thing," he said of the TPP.
The TPP would connect the 12 economies by cutting trade barriers and
harmonizing standards covering two-fifths of the world economy and a
third of global trade.
TPP trade ministers discussing the pact, which would stretch from
Japan to Chile, have said an agreement is within reach, despite the
failure last week to settle differences at talks in Hawaii.
Kerry met Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang and said it was
crucial to iron out remaining issues.
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"One of the very important things now is for us to be able to stay
where we are on the TPP negotiations, not to slide backwards, but to
finish that job in which Vietnam is very much an important
contributor," Kerry said.
Vietnam's export-dominated economy could be among the biggest
beneficiaries of the TPP because of its farm and fisheries
resources, cheap labor and growing manufacturing sector, especially
in textiles, footwear, telephones and televisions. Among its
investors are Samsung, LG and Microsoft.
Vietnam has some lingering concerns on TPP, including issues related
to labor, which Kerry said could be settled.
(Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Robert Birsel)
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