| babaal |
Posted
on 14-Jul-03 06:59 PM
Nepali delegation to visit US
KOL Report
KATHMANDU, July 15 - A Nepali delegation will be leaving for the United States this week to persuade Senator Dianne Feinstein to move a legislation aimed at providing Nepali garments with quota- and duty-free market access.
The delegation to be led by Madhu Raman Acharya, Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will likely have representatives from the business house and industries, according to sources.
Senator Feinstein had recently withdrawn her support for the legislation blaming the Nepal government of breaching international understanding by deporting eighteen Tibetans, including some children, back to China.
Sources said that the latest move comes amidst positive signals from Senator Feinsteins office. The delegation would try and convince Senator Feinstein to reintroduce the bill in the Senate.
The legislation, which is similar to the African Growth and Opportunity Act of 2000, was being discussed in the Finance Committee of the US Senate when Nepal deported the Tibetans, subsequently provoking Senator Feinstein.
The passing of the bill by the US government could prove to be a huge relief to Nepali garment sector, which is the top foreign currency earning industry of Nepal. The US usually absorbs over 85 per cent of total Nepali garment exports.
The proportion was, however, as high as 97 per cent in 2000 when Nepal exported garments worth US $ 168 million. Garments exports have lately gone down. The total garment exports to the US in 2002 stood at US $ 106 million.
If cleared, the legislation can come into effect from October 1, 2003 and remain valid for a two-year period. That could cushion the impact of the complete revocation of the Multi-fibre Arrangement in December 2004 on Nepals garment industry.
Global apparel and textiles trade is largely being carried out under the MFA regime, which essentially is a quota system, since the early 1970s. (snn)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Feinstein to the delegates : " Kaha na, mein yeh kaam kisi bhi haal mein nahi kar sakti..ab is.se pahle ki mera bahadur tum logo ko dhakke maar ke bahar nikaal de..nikal jao yaha se.." "Na jaane kaha kaha se chale aate hain.."
Laaj naam ko ta cheez nai chhaina!!
|
