Singapore and Australia broaden FTA

SINGAPORE, July 15 (UPI) -- Australia and Singapore have extended their one-year-old Free Trade Agreement to include the shipment of orchids Down Under.

Among other concessions made, Singapore offered to recognize the qualifications of lawyers who graduate from two additional Australian universities, adding to the eight already recognized. The additions are the University of Tasmania and Murdoch University in Perth, The Straits Times reported Thursday.

Trade and Industry Minister George Yeo and his Australian counterpart, Mark Vaile, met in Sydney Wednesday to review the Singapore Australia Free Trade Agreement, or SAFTA, which came into force on July 28 last year.

"Without a doubt, SAFTA is already a success, facilitating trade and investment between our two countries," Vaile said.