Americas-Summit
12-10-1994
^By ANDREW SELSKY
^Associated Press Writer
MIAMI (AP) _ President Clinton and leaders of 33 Western Hemisphere nations pledged today to create an agreement for a vast free-trade zone in the next decade, opening markets for 850 million people from Alaska to Argentina.
"This historic step will produce real opportunities for more jobs and solid, lasting prosperity for our peoples," Clinton said as he announced the results of morning talks with all leaders of the hemisphere except Cuba's Fidel Castro.
The presidents and prime ministers stood in two rows behind Clinton in the morning sun and raised joined hands as he ended his remarks.
The pact calls for the Free Trade Area of the Americas to be negotiated by 2005, with "real progress before the end of the century," Clinton said. The latter part was a bow to Argentina and other countries that had pushed for a deadline of 2000. An implementation date for the accord was not given.
The leaders set a timetable beginning next month for trade ministers and other officials to start work on the free trade agreement, building on existing accords within the hemisphere, including the North American Free Trade Agreement between the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The leaders promised to help smaller countries that would have a hard time meeting the deadline, Clinton said.
The grand design of a hemisphere without trade barriers comes nearly a year after NAFTA took effect and almost 30 years since the last summit of North and South American leaders.
"In less than a decade if current trends continue, this hemisphere will be the world's largest market ... more than $13 trillion worth of goods and services," Clinton said.
However, he said, "None of us underestimates the hard work ahead."
The 34 leaders gathered at the ornate Villa Vizcaya, an example of Mediterranean Revival architecture that was the site of President Reagan's 1987 meeting with Pope John Paul II. They were seated around a large square table with a colorful map of the hemisphere displayed in its center.
Bolivian President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada urged the group to hold hemispheric summits every two years to follow through on the summit goals. He also warned of the dangers of long delays, particularly for smaller countries, in establishing a free trade system.
"It would be a tragic mistake to engage in a prolonged process where struggling nations with fragile democracies must wait 10, 15, maybe 20 years in an economic purgatory," he said. "The cost could be nothing less than the democratic foundations of our countries."
Commerce Secretary Ron Brown said the United States must stop ignoring the potential of a trade pact in what would be the world's largest market, $13 trillion with 850 million people, by 2003. "We have not yet paid enough attention to our neighbors to the south," he said.
The only nation in the hemisphere shunned by the summit was Cuba. Clinton didn't invite Castro because only democratically elected leaders were wanted, and U.S. officials hoped the meeting would not be sidetracked by discussions of Cuba.
But people from more than 200 Cuban exile groups gathered today for a protest march, saying they expected more than 150,000 Cuban-Americans to show up to pressure hemispheric leaders to push their homeland toward democracy.
The march through Little Havana, Miami's Cuban neighborhood, ends with a rally at the Orange Bowl stadium. One of those planning to attend was a news anchor for Radio Rebelde, a Havana radio station, who asked for political asylum when he arrived Thursday night to cover the summit.
Carlos Santana Ojeda said Friday he could no longer tolerate repression under Castro and had defected.
Several summit leaders have promised to bring up Cuba's human rights violations and lack of freedom during the summit discussions.
And some were unhappy Cuba was not invited.
Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien said that not inviting Castro was a missed opportunity.
"We believe the more you do trade and business with a country like that, democracy will come faster," Chretien told reporters.
In convening the summit, Clinton is trying to convey the message that just as with the NAFTA accord that took effect in January and the GATT world trade pact he signed last week, the promoting of free trade brings better lives for Americans.
"Every American worker in every part of the United States should be glad that we are here at the Summit of the Americas," Clinton said Friday.
On Sunday, Clinton, Chretien and Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo are to announce the launching of negotiations setting the stage for Chile's entry into the NAFTA accord.
The draft plan for the final declaration drawn up by officials from the 34 participating nations also provides for efforts to promote democracy and human rights in the hemisphere.
The leaders will pledge common efforts to fight corruption and the flow of illegal drugs, and to work together in such areas as energy, pollution, education and health care.
^By ANDREW SELSKY
^Associated Press Writer
MIAMI (AP) _ President Clinton and leaders of 33 Western Hemisphere nations pledged today to create an agreement for a vast free-trade zone in the next decade, opening markets for 850 million people from Alaska to Argentina.
"This historic step will produce real opportunities for more jobs and solid, lasting prosperity for our peoples," Clinton said as he announced the results of morning talks with all leaders of the hemisphere except Cuba's Fidel Castro.
The presidents and prime ministers stood in two rows behind Clinton in the morning sun and raised joined hands as he ended his remarks.
The pact calls for the Free Trade Area of the Americas to be negotiated by 2005, with "real progress before the end of the century," Clinton said. The latter part was a bow to Argentina and other countries that had pushed for a deadline of 2000. An implementation date for the accord was not given.
The leaders set a timetable beginning next month for trade ministers and other officials to start work on the free trade agreement, building on existing accords within the hemisphere, including the North American Free Trade Agreement between the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The leaders promised to help smaller countries that would have a hard time meeting the deadline, Clinton said.
The grand design of a hemisphere without trade barriers comes nearly a year after NAFTA took effect and almost 30 years since the last summit of North and South American leaders.
"In less than a decade if current trends continue, this hemisphere will be the world's largest market ... more than $13 trillion worth of goods and services," Clinton said.
However, he said, "None of us underestimates the hard work ahead."
The 34 leaders gathered at the ornate Villa Vizcaya, an example of Mediterranean Revival architecture that was the site of President Reagan's 1987 meeting with Pope John Paul II. They were seated around a large square table with a colorful map of the hemisphere displayed in its center.
Bolivian President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada urged the group to hold hemispheric summits every two years to follow through on the summit goals. He also warned of the dangers of long delays, particularly for smaller countries, in establishing a free trade system.
"It would be a tragic mistake to engage in a prolonged process where struggling nations with fragile democracies must wait 10, 15, maybe 20 years in an economic purgatory," he said. "The cost could be nothing less than the democratic foundations of our countries."
Commerce Secretary Ron Brown said the United States must stop ignoring the potential of a trade pact in what would be the world's largest market, $13 trillion with 850 million people, by 2003. "We have not yet paid enough attention to our neighbors to the south," he said.
The only nation in the hemisphere shunned by the summit was Cuba. Clinton didn't invite Castro because only democratically elected leaders were wanted, and U.S. officials hoped the meeting would not be sidetracked by discussions of Cuba.
But people from more than 200 Cuban exile groups gathered today for a protest march, saying they expected more than 150,000 Cuban-Americans to show up to pressure hemispheric leaders to push their homeland toward democracy.
The march through Little Havana, Miami's Cuban neighborhood, ends with a rally at the Orange Bowl stadium. One of those planning to attend was a news anchor for Radio Rebelde, a Havana radio station, who asked for political asylum when he arrived Thursday night to cover the summit.
Carlos Santana Ojeda said Friday he could no longer tolerate repression under Castro and had defected.
Several summit leaders have promised to bring up Cuba's human rights violations and lack of freedom during the summit discussions.
And some were unhappy Cuba was not invited.
Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien said that not inviting Castro was a missed opportunity.
"We believe the more you do trade and business with a country like that, democracy will come faster," Chretien told reporters.
In convening the summit, Clinton is trying to convey the message that just as with the NAFTA accord that took effect in January and the GATT world trade pact he signed last week, the promoting of free trade brings better lives for Americans.
"Every American worker in every part of the United States should be glad that we are here at the Summit of the Americas," Clinton said Friday.
On Sunday, Clinton, Chretien and Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo are to announce the launching of negotiations setting the stage for Chile's entry into the NAFTA accord.
The draft plan for the final declaration drawn up by officials from the 34 participating nations also provides for efforts to promote democracy and human rights in the hemisphere.
The leaders will pledge common efforts to fight corruption and the flow of illegal drugs, and to work together in such areas as energy, pollution, education and health care.
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