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As a monster Asian trade pact enters its next round of deliberations this weekend, Deborah Elms is upbeat about its prospects for completion this year -- though perhaps without all 16 members.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership -- which includes all 10 Southeast Asian economies plus China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, and New Zealand -- could be finalized in 2019, though likely with only a “subset” of the negotiating economies, Elms, executive director of the Asian Trade Centre, said Wednesday at an American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore event on trade.

“Now I think we are actually within striking distance” of completing RCEP, she said, noting that rules of origin and e-commerce regulations are among unfinished business. Elms said she has participated in most of RCEP’s rounds of talks so far, and she will head to Melbourne this weekend for the discussions that mark the 26th round.

While leaving out any of the 16 members wouldn’t be ideal in her view, Elms said “if they’re not going to play ball, I would say kick them out and move on.”

The trade expert’s view echoes recent comments by Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who told CNBC that “for the time being” he would prefer 13 economies under a proposal by China that would exclude India, Australia and New Zealand, according to the interview.

India has long countered RCEP’s approach to labor mobility issues. Elections next year in New Zealand also could complicate political traction in RCEP talks for that economy.

To contact the reporter on this story: Michelle Jamrisko in Singapore at mjamrisko@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Nasreen Seria at nseria@bloomberg.net, Enda Curran, Karthikeyan Sundaram

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