The 12 Pacific Rim countries in the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade negotiations declared they have made significant progress as they wrapped up a series of meetings Tuesday in Bali, Indonesia, but whether they can meet their target of concluding a deal by the end of the year is still uncertain.
Chief negotiators, ministers and leaders of the countries engaged in discussions for an unusually long six days to facilitate talks on a range of issues that need political decisions, including tariff eliminations, intellectual property protection rules and treatment of state-owned enterprises.
But the TPP leaders' statement and the ministers' report to the leaders, released after the closed meetings, remained vague, giving no specific dates and figures to be achieved, while acknowledging difficulties remain in a number of fields.