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U.S., South America extend trade talks
BOGOTA (AP)--Negotiations for a free trade deal between the U.S. and three South American nations will continue at least until June, a U.S. official said Feb. 11, as the countries seek common ground on issues from agricultural subsidies to intellectual property.
Some 1,500 negotiators, politicians and businessmen from Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and the U.S. have been in the coastal city of Cartagena all week for the seventh round of talks.
And while some officials hoped a deal could be finalized during the next round of talks in Washington next month, negotiators said they decided to slow things down, given that sticky issues remain unresolved.
A U.S. Embassy official said several meetings will take place prior to a likely deal-signing meeting in Washington in June. The official, speaking on customary condition of anonymity, said the number of negotiators at each meeting will probably continue to shrink as agreements are reached on the various aspects of the deal.
Hernando Jose Gomez, Colombia's chief negotiator, said the delay in the talks, which have been going on since May 2004, was expected.
"We want a deal as soon as possible, but these talks have no deadlines. The key is to achieve a good agreement," Gomez told local Caracol radio Feb. 11.
If the countries sign a deal, lawmakers from each country will still have to approve it before implementation could begin.
One of the upcoming meetings will be in Peru in April, at a venue still undecided, Gomez said.
Colombia and the Andean nations want the deal to have tariff-free access to the giant U.S. market. The U.S. wants to have more access for its exports in the Andean nations, where tight trade restrictions are currently in place to protect local industries.
Date: 2/24/05
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