LAHORE, Sept 4: Pakistan and the United States will discuss bilateral trade issues during the first Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) Council meeting to be held in Washington on September 28.

Pakistan delegation led by Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan will comprise Commerce Secretary Tasneem M. Noorani and other senior officials of the ministry.

"We will discuss ways to increase market access to the US market during the meeting," Tasneem Noorani told newsmen here on Saturday.

Mr Noorani said that Pakistan was endeavouring to enter into Free Trade Agreements with different countries to increase market access, much needed in the post-WTO scenario.

"There has been headway in the process of entering into FTA with Sri Lanka, we are presently exchanging lists of sensitive commodities with that country," he said.

On the latest breakthrough in the farm subsidies issue, Mr Noorani said that developed countries had agreed to end export subsidies and bring down domestic farm subsidies by 20 per cent. This was a good omen for developing countries, he added.

He said efforts were on to set up warehousing facilities in Warsaw (Poland) and Nairobi (Kenya) to help increase the share of Pakistani exports to Eastern Europe and Africa.

Responding to a question the commerce secretary regretted that not a single company had so far contacted for government assistance in acquisition of an international brand.

He said local entrepreneurs were being encouraged to improve general manufacturing practices and to comply with international environmental and labour standards.-APP