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MONTERREY, Mexico (Monday, January 12, 2004) .- Prime
Minister Paul Martin expressed doubt yesterday that the bitterly divided
nations of the Americas can meet a 2005 deadline for the pursuit of a
free-trade zone encompassing 800 million people with an economic output of $11
trillion U.S.
The 34 leaders from the hemisphere had vowed to form the
world's largest free-trade zone and bolster democracy in a region beset by
poverty, corruption and a history of fragile democracies at the 2001 summit in
Quebec City.
But a hemispheric trade deal now seems out of the question
after Brazil -- South America's largest country -- encouraged other Latin
American nations to refuse to sign unless Washington included farm subsidies
and steel protection in the talks.
Latin American leaders have also taken issue with plans by
U.S. President George W. Bush to enforce a Canadian initiative to kick corrupt
nations out of the 34-member Organization of American States (OAS). Leaders
from the countries are holding a summit this week in the industrial city of
Monterrey, Mexico.
After meeting with Mexican President Vicente Fox last night,
Mr. Martin strongly endorsed the need for the leaders to enforce the democracy
clause and stamp out corruption in Latin American countries.
"You have to deal with corruption. Corruption is a massive
obstacle to the development of democracy and to providing (livelihood) for its
people."
Mr. Martin said there cannot be any social or economic
development with the hard-pressed countries of Latin America unless corruption
is dealt with.
Mr. Fox echoed Mr. Martin's sentiments, saying efforts by
Mexico to eliminate corruption have bolstered the living standard of its
people. Mr. Fox also said he is a strong proponent of a hemispheric free trade
deal, noting that NAFTA enriched the Mexican economy and improved living
standards.
Mr. Martin acknowledged he was not optimistic the 2005
deadline can be achieved.
Difficulty will remain so long as Brazil holds its ground
and Mr. Bush refuses to compromise -- something that is unlikely in a U.S.
election year.
"I think it's too bad because an agreement would help poorer
countries in the hemisphere. ... I think it would help international trade if
we could reach an agreement," he told reporters en route to the summit.
"If you take a look at the position that Brazil has taken,
clearly there would have to be a settlement on the whole agriculture issue."
However, Mr. Martin said Canada will join Mr. Bush in
continuing to seek bilateral trade pacts with countries in Latin America as a
means to boost their living standards, such as the agreements concluded with
Costa Rica and Chile under former prime minister Jean Chretien.
"If we can't reach a free trade agreement, Canada will
certainly continue to sign bilateral free trades with other countries," he
said.
"If we miss that deadline, I don't think we should give up.
I think we should continue to push for free trade of the Americas. I think it
would be very good for the countries of South America and I think it would be
very good for Canada."
In the absence of free trade areas stretching from Alaska to
Argentina, Mr. Bush has also pursued bilateral and multilateral pacts with
regional blocks. It has signed a deal with Chile and reached an agreement with
Central American nations.
In Quebec City, the leaders also adopted a
Canadian-sponsored statement obliging nations who want the benefits of a
liberalized trade to observe democratic norms or face expulsion from the trade
bloc and future summits.
Mr. Bush, who arrives at the summit today, has made it clear
he wants to kick corrupt governments out of the OAS, a move vehemently opposed
by several Latin American nations.
Yesterday, Venezuela President Hugo Chavez lashed out at
Washington, saying the Americans should not "stick their noses" in Venezuela's
affairs.
He was commenting on remarks made by U.S. National Security
Adviser Condoleezza Rice, who said on Friday that Mr. Chavez should show "that
he believes in democratic processes" by allowing the recall referendum on his
rule to take place.
The comments followed a week of back-and-forth comments that
began when U.S. officials accused Venezuela and Cuba of co-operating to
undermine democratic governments in the region.
"It is not up to them to stick their noses here in
Venezuela," said Mr. Chavez, one of Latin America's harshest critics of the
Bush administration.
"Venezuela is a free, sovereign and independent country."
Caracas' ties with Washington have been strained over Mr.
Chavez's friendly relations with Cuba's Communist dictator, Fidel Castro, and
his opposition to a U.S.-backed hemispheric free trade zone.
Argentina's President Nesto Kirchner and Brazil's Luiz
Ignacio Lula Da Silva have also attacked Washington over free trade and
defended their close ties to Mr. Castro.
Brazil is also upset at U.S. security steps to photograph
and fingerprint foreigners and is doing the same to U.S. citizens arriving in
Brazil -- a move that has angered the Bush administration.
Mr. Fox told Fox News Sunday he would like eventually to
work toward the free movement of workers between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.
Until then, he was pleased that Mr. Bush has promised to let
migrants spend at least three years working in the United States.
© The Ottawa Citizen 2004 |
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