烟草在线据商务世界在线报道编译　　10月10日，菲律宾一名贸易官员告诉记者说，菲律宾政府在等待10月15日关于烟税问题的最后期限之际，愿意给予泰国处理问题的灵活性。

　　不过，菲律宾贸易部副部长Adrian S. Cristobal说，如果泰国颁行给进口卷烟提供更公平的征税制度立法的话，才会给予这种灵活性。

　　Adrian S. Cristobal在10月10日于马尼拉举行的第三十八届菲律宾贸易大会的会场外接受记者采访时说：“我们对取决于泰国报告的各种选择持开放态度。我们尤其愿意接受灵活处理，因为我们从自己的立法程序知道，这需要时间。”他还补充说：“还有另外一个需要遵循的程序，例如像仲裁程序。”

　　10月15日后，菲律宾可能选择寻求世界贸易组织的仲裁，或继续与泰国举行双边会谈。

　　泰国应该顺应几项税务改革，这几项改革与世界贸易组织在5月15日做出的泰国不公平地对待从菲律宾进口的卷烟的裁决有关。

　　菲律宾与泰国之间的争议源自菲律宾政府代表菲莫菲律宾公司在2006年提起的诉讼。诉讼称，泰国政府歧视进口品牌卷烟。

　　在9月18日的最新情况报告中，泰国说它能够发出各种有关海关复议的决议。泰国在自己的情况报告中说：“自上一个情况报告后，泰国海关决定申诉委员会已经发布了菲律宾提出的设立评估小组的申请中列出的具体商品条目的海关估值的申诉案的决定。”

　　泰国还在报告中说：“申诉委员会将继续考虑菲律宾的申诉中涉及的商品条目的申诉问题。”

Phillipines: Gov't Open to Give Thailand Leeway in Cigarette Tax Case

　　THE PHILIPPINE government is willing to provide flexibility to Thailand as it awaits the Oct. 15 deadline on the cigarette tax issue, a Trade official told reporters yesterday.

　　However, Trade Undersecretary Adrian S. Cristobal said this leeway will only be granted if Thailand only needs to enact legislation that would provide a fairer tax scheme to imported cigarettes.

　　"We are open to options depending on the report of Thailand. We are open to be flexible especially as we know from our own legislative process that it takes time," said Mr. Cristobal in an interview with reporters at the sidelines of the 38th Philippine Business Conference in Manila yesterday. He added: "There is still another process to follow like the arbitration process."

　　After Oct. 15, the Philippines may opt to seek arbitration from the World Trade Organization (WTO) or to continue bilateral talks with Thailand.

　　Thailand was supposed to comply with several taxation reforms in relation to the ruling of the WTO that the country was unfairly treating imported cigarettes from the Philippines on May 15.

　　The dispute stemmed from a 2006 complaint filed by the Philippine government on behalf of Philip Morris Philippines Manufacturing, Inc. claiming a bias against imported cigarette brands by the Thai government.

　　In its latest status report dated Sept. 18, Thailand said it has been able to issue various decisions regarding customs reviews. "Since the last status report, Thailand's Board of Appeals for customs determinations has issued its decision in the appeal of the customs valuation of the specific entries of merchandise listed in the Philippines' request for the establishment of a panel," Thailand said in its status report.

　　"The Board of Appeals is continuing its consideration of the appeal of the entries involved in the Philippines' claim," it added. Enditem