From: Andrew Lang <lang@igc.apc.org>
Subject: TRADE.NEWS 12-17-92
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: daemon@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: ?
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1992 00:00:49 GMT

/* Written  1:47 pm  Dec 17, 1992 by kmander@igc.apc.org in igc:trade.news */
/* ---------- "TRADE.NEWS 12-17-92" ---------- */

TRADE NEWS BULLETIN  Volume I Number 213
Thursday, December 17, 1992
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NAFTA News Summary
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LEADERS SCHEDULED TO SIGN NAFTA TODAY

The leaders of the United States, Canada and Mexico will sign the 
North American Free Trade Agreement today amid increasing 
concerns that it will cause job losses and environmental destruction 
(see story below).  U.S. President George Bush, Canadian Prime 
Minister Brian Mulroney and Mexican President Carlos Salinas de 
Gortari initialed the trade pact in San Antonio, Texas October 7, but 
today's official signing sends the agreement to the countries' 
legislatures for consideration.  The leaders will sign NAFTA in a 
ceremony that will include telephone and possible video link-ups 
between Washington, Ottawa and Mexico City. 

While Bush faces a tough battle getting NAFTA approved in Congress, 
Canadian and Mexican officials are expecting an easier time.  They 
contend that U.S. President-elect Bill Clinton will not delay the pact 
and that the ratification process will proceed as scheduled.  "Our 
understanding is that (Clinton) is satisfied with the text of NAFTA as 
it is and wants to negotiate additional parallel agreements on 
environmental and labor safety standards," a Canadian trade official 
said.  "He does not intend to reopen the text."

Salinas will have little trouble in the Mexican Senate where his 
Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) commands a huge majority.  
But many in Mexico fear widespread job losses and business closures 
due to new competition.  In a recent State of the Nation address, 
Salinas said increased competition "will mean greater investment and 
gains in production and exports."   

Source: "Bush to Sign Mexico Trade But Opposition Mounts," REUTER, 
December 16, 1992; "Canada Expects Clinton to Seek Fast NAFTA 
Approval," December 16, 1992; "NAFTA Signing Locks in Salinas 
Economic Reforms," REUTER, December 16, 1992; 
_________________________________________________________
GROUPS ANNOUNCE NEW CAMPAIGN AGAINST NAFTA

At a press conference yesterday, a coalition of labor, environmental, 
consumer and farm groups -- claiming to represent some 40 million 
Americans -- said NAFTA would cost thousands of U.S. jobs and hurt 
the environment.  The AFL-CIO, Greenpeace, National Farmers Union, 
the National Consumers League and others announced a new 
campaign to encourage Congress to defeat NAFTA.  

Jesse Jackson told the conference that Bush should allow President-
elect Bill Clinton to improve the trade pact.  "Let us work with the 
Clinton Administration to craft a trade policy that binds our 
hemisphere together on the crucial issues of jobs, trade, energy, the 
environment and economic development."

William Bywater, president of the International Union of Electronic, 
Electrical, Salaried, Machine and Furniture Workers called for a 
rejection of NAFTA.  "I believe the American people, if they know 
what's behind it, that their jobs are in jeopardy ... they are going to 
be against this NAFTA agreement,"  he said. 

In one of a series of planned television and newspaper 
advertisements by the coalition, today's NEW YORK TIMES (national 
edition 12-17-92, p. A7), WASHINGTON POST and USA TODAY 
contain advertisements protesting today's signing.  Under the 
headline, "Without Regard to the Human Impact of Their Decisions," 
the groups contend the current draft of NAFTA would: undermine 
labor, environmental and social standards; lead to environmental 
ruin; cause massive U.S. and Canadian job losses; destroy family 
farms; and threaten democratic process.

The legislatures of Canada and Mexico must also approve the deal, 
but the coalition will focus its efforts on defeating NAFTA in the U.S. 
law-making body.

Source: "Without Regard to the Human Impact of Their Decisions," 
NEW YORK TIMES, December 17, 1992, p. A7; Michelle Mittelstadt, 
"Free Trade," AP, December 16, 1992.
_________________________________________________________
GATT News Summary
_________________________________________________________
FRANCE VOWS TO BLOCK EC FARM PROPOSAL IN GATT

In a move that seems to have ended any possibility of wrapping up 
global trade talks this year, France announced it would block 
European Community offers to cut import tariffs on agriculture 
products.  The announcement came only hours after the EC had 
presented the proposals to the General Agreement on Tariffs and 
Trade (GATT).  

French Foreign Minister Roland Dumas said he told GATT Director-
General Arthur Dunkel that European Commission negotiators had 
gone beyond their mandate and that the French government 
considered the farm proposals "null and void, and without (legal) 
commitment and value."

Dumas was undoubtedly referring to EC External Affairs 
Commissioner Frans Andriessen and Agriculture Commissioner Ray 
MacSharry when he accused the two commissioners of being 
"disloyal to their mandates."

Source: Clare Nullis, "France-Trade," AP, December 16, 1992; "Dumas 
Says EC GATT Offer 'Null and Void,'" REUTER, December 16, 1992; 
Bhushan Bahree, Bob Davis, "French Objection to Lower Farm Tariffs 
Will Likely Delay World Trade Talks," WALL STREET JOURNAL, 
December 17, 1992, p. A7; David Gardner, "EC Ministers Strive to Tie 
Up Farm Reform Loose Ends," FINANCIAL TIMES, December 17, 1992, 
p. 24.
_________________________________________________________
CLINTON HOPES FOR GATT DEAL SOON, AIDE SAYS

President-elect Bill Clinton hopes the Bush Administration is 
successful in negotiating a GATT deal, said George Stephanopoulos, 
Clinton's communications director.  "He supports GATT and he 
supports NAFTA, those positions stand," Stephanopoulus said. 

Source: "Spokesman Says Clinton Hopes for GATT Accord Soon," 
REUTER, December 16, 1992.
_________________________________________________________
JAPANESE FARMERS RALLY TO KEEP RICE BAN

Over ten thousand Japanese farmers took to the streets of Tokyo for 
the second day to protest a possible lifting of Japan's ban on foreign 
rice imports.  "Japanese rice farming has created history and culture," 
agriculture cooperative worker Haruo Kurihara told a rally at a sumo 
arena.  "If imports from bigger farms are allowed, Japanese rice 
farming will be destroyed and Japanese culture and social order will 
collapse totally."  

GATT trading partners are pushing Japan to end the ban.  In Tokyo 
Wednesday, EC External Affairs Commissioner Frans Andriessen 
encouraged Japan to take a "political" decision to replace the rice ban 
with a tariffication program.  But Foreign Minister Michio Watanabe 
told Andriessen that Japan could not promise to lift the ban.

Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa told a conference Wednesday that 
Japan must make a firm decision next month on whether to drop the 
ban.

Source: Andrew Pollack, "Japanese Farmers Hold a Rally for Keeping a 
Ban on Rice Imports," NEW YORK TIMES, December 17, 1992, p. A7; 
Robert Thomson, "Japan Urged to Open Its Rice Market," FINANCIAL 
TIMES, December 17, 1992, p. 5; Risa Maeda, "Japan Retreats to Say 
No to Compromise on Rice Ban," December 16, 1992; "Miyazawa Says 
Japan Needs Rice Decisions Next Month," REUTER, December 16, 1992.
_________________________________________________________
Other On-line Conferences:

trade.strategy - a discussion of trade issues
trade.library - a repository of trade information
eai.news - a news summary of Latin American trade topics
susag.news - a news summary of sustainable agriculture issues

Produced by:
Kai Mander    
The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP)
1313 Fifth Street SE, Suite #303
Minneapolis, MN 55414-1546 USA

Telephone:(612)379-5980 Fax:(612)379-5982 
E-Mail:kmander@igc.apc.org
_________________________________________________________
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