ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United States have devised a road map to resolve trade and investment issues for boosting bilateral trade.

The understanding was reached in a two-day Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (Tifa) Council meeting, Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Michael J Delaney told a select group of reporters on Thursday.

“I regard the Tifa meeting a success, as we have been able to identify means for addressing several specific trade issues that should be resolved,” he said.

During the meeting, both sides covered a wide range of general and specific issues related to trade and investment that either of the two governments wanted to include in the agenda. “We have made significant progress on this account.”

Asked whether the US government will consider Pakistan’s request to treat its textile products under the US Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), Mr Delaney said the decision falls in the ambit of US Congress. However, he added that there are some textile products that are already included in the GSP list.

He said Pakistan is one of the major beneficiaries of the US GSP. However, he noted the GSP is being underutilised by Pakistan.

In recognition of Pakistan’s national plan regarding intellectual property (IP) rights, the United States has upgraded it from the “priority watch list” to the “watch list”. “We have seen significant progress in Pakistan with regard to IP,” he said.

Talking about the export of mangoes to the United States, he said both sides made a breakthrough in identifying a phytosanitary irradiation facility in the north-eastern part of the United States for Pakistani mangoes.

With regard to a bilateral investment treaty, he said both sides have not reached common ground on the draft of the treaty. “We are awaiting response from Pakistan,” he said.

Mr Delaney said Tifa served a useful mechanism for dialogue, as several milestones were achieved under its umbrella.

He said the United States will make foreign direct investment in the energy sector, adding that inflows will depend on the investment climate.

Asked about the possibility of a free trade agreement between Pakistan and the United States, Mr Delaney said the focus of the Obama administration is only on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership and the Trans-Pacific Partner­ship. “What the future holds I can’t say,” he said.

Pakistan renewed its request for better US market access, especially for its apparel industry.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2016