San Antonio Express-News
January15, 2002
Talk & Speculation: Where to locate bilateral trade deal
If the U.S. Senate ever gets around to granting trade promotion authority to the Bush administration - the U.S. House approved the measure in December - where should the United States look first for bilateral trade agreements?
The nation already has active and advanced trade negotiations with Chile and Singapore, said Thomas Niles, president of the U.S.
Council for International Business after a recent speech to the World Affairs Council of San Antonio.
Also, there is talk of a trade agreement with Australia. Meanwhile, talks are under way for a Free Trade Agreement of the Americas and liberalized world trade in general in the new Doha Round of the World Trade Organization, keeping U.S. trade negotiators plenty busy, Niles said.
But the best thing the United States can do is help Mexico increase its wealth through trade, to put another Canada at the U.S. southern border, said Niles, who had a 36-year career as U.S. ambassador to many nations before joining the U.S. council.
In that light, the World Affairs Council will hold its annual Mexico Panel Discussion at a noon luncheon Wednesday at the Adam's Mark Hotel downtown. Three panelists will give an overview of how the Mexican economy is doing during the U.S. recession.
Reservations are $25 for council members, $35 for non-members and may be made by calling the council at (210) 308-9494.
Niles' speech, by the way, came four days after he appeared on CBS' "Sixty Minutes" news program.
Niles, a former U.S. ambassador to Greece, under questioning from Ed Bradley, discussed Greece's unwillingness to confront a terrorism network there called 17 November, despite the approaching 2004 Olympic games.
Copyright 2002 San Antonio Express-News
