Container ships line up beside cranes about 80 kilometers west of Kuala Lumpur
© AFP Tengku Bahar

"An FTA is always good because it facilitates trade and this is why we have a number of FTA negotiations but we have no short-term plan to negotiate a FTA with Malaysia," Rene-Francois Desamore, senior trade commissioner with the Canadian high commission here, told reporters.

"(It is) not because of lack of interest but because lack of time. We are still negotiating with Singapore," Desamore said.

"I don't see any FTA talks with Malaysia before one or two years," he added.

Desamore said Canada for now was keen to review its double taxation treaty and was working closely with Malaysia to ensure the success of the World Trade Organisation Doha Round negotiations to tear down barriers to commerce.

Malaysia is currently involved in FTA talks with a number of countries including Pakistan, Australia and New Zealand. It hopes to conclude an FTA with the United States by the end of the year.

Malaysia inked a trade agreement with Japan last December.

Malaysia's total trade with Canada has been growing over the last five years at an average annual rate of 4.1 percent.

Total bilateral trade rose to 4.98 billion ringgit (1.38 billion dollars) in 2005 compared with 3.21 billion in 2001.

©AFP