Trade pact agreed

Bangkok: Fifteen AsiaPacific countries have concluded negotiations for a trade pact that would be among the world’s largest, but India still has ‘‘significant outstanding issues’’ before it is ready to sign, the countries’ leaders said yesterday.

A summit of the leaders of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) left open the door for India to still join if it can resolve issues before the deal is set to be signed in 2020.

Fifteen of the 16 prospective RCEP states ‘‘have concluded textbased negotiations for all 20 chapters and essentially all their market access issues,’’ said the leaders’ statement, which included India.

The RCEP countries include the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, plus China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. — Reuters

PHOTO: REUTERS Demonstrators protest against Chile’s Government in Santiago yesterday, continuing their actions into a second week.