越南与欧洲自由贸易联盟周日将在河内签署自贸协定：谈判历时十余年
据路透社10月14日报道，欧洲自由贸易联盟（EFTA）与越南将于周日签署一项自由贸易协定。此前长期停滞的谈判在全球因美国关税而紧张的背景下，于去年重启。
越南与EFTA集团的谈判于今年7月结束。EFTA成员包括瑞士、挪威、冰岛和列支敦士登；相关谈判最初于2012年启动，多年来时断时续。瑞士经济部长居伊·帕姆兰的发言人周三表示，协定将于周日在河内、在帕姆兰出席的情况下签署；帕姆兰同时担任瑞士轮值联邦主席，目前正在亚洲访问。河内的两名官员也证实签署将于周日举行。
据EFTA 7月介绍，该协定将涵盖原产地规则、投资、知识产权与竞争、贸易救济和政府采购等内容。河内官员此前曾表示协定将于10月签署，具体日期取决于领导人日程。
路透社指出，今年9月，越南称以涉嫌恐怖主义为由拘留了三名活动人士，其中包括一名挪威公民；这一事件未影响原定的签署计划，人权组织称这些人是在柬埔寨被绑架的。挪威外交部表示已要求越南给予领事探视。
Vietnam and EFTA to Sign Free Trade Deal in Hanoi on Sunday, Officials Say
The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and Vietnam are set to sign a free trade deal on Sunday, officials said this week, according to Reuters, after long-stalled talks were relaunched last year amid global tensions over US tariffs. Vietnam concluded negotiations with the EFTA bloc, which includes Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, in July, after years of talks first launched in 2012. The deal will be signed in Hanoi on Sunday in the presence of Swiss Economy Minister Guy Parmelin, a spokesperson for his ministry said on Wednesday. Parmelin, who also holds Switzerland's rotating presidency, is currently on a visit to Asia. Two officials in Hanoi confirmed that the signing would occur on Sunday.
In July, the EFTA said the accord would cover rules of origin, investment, intellectual property rights and competition, trade remedies and government procurement. Officials in Hanoi had earlier said the deal would be signed in October, with the precise date determined by the leaders' agendas.
Reuters noted that in September, Vietnam said it detained three activists on suspicion of terrorism — including a Norwegian national — which did not affect the previously planned signing; human rights groups said the people had been abducted in Cambodia. Norway's foreign ministry said it had asked Vietnam to grant consular access.
图片来源：河内天际线。图片来源：Wikimedia Commons，NKSTTSSHNVN 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0 授权
