[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 69 (Thursday, April 10, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17596-17597]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-9161]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration
[Docket No. 970404079-7079-01]
RIN 0651-09


Secretarial Business Development Missions to Brazil, Argentina, 
and Chile

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice serves to inform the public of Secretarial 
Business Development Missions to Brazil, May 12-13, and Argentina and 
Chile, May 15-19, 1997 (``the missions'' or ``trade missions'') and the 
opportunity to apply for participation in the missions; sets forth 
objectives, procedures, and participation criteria for the missions; 
and requests applications.

DATES: Applications should be submitted to Cheryl Bruner by April 25, 
1997, in order to ensure sufficient time to obtain in-country 
appointments for applicants selected to participate in the mission. 
Applications received after that date will be considered only if space 
and scheduling constraints permit. The missions are scheduled for: 
Brazil--May 12-13, and Argentina and Chile, May 15-19, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Request for and submission of applications--Applications are 
available from: Cheryl Bruner, Project Officer and Director of the 
Office of Business Liaison or Katy Ruth at 202-482-1360 or via 
facsimile at 202-482-4054. Numbers listed in this notice are not toll-
free. An original and two copies of the required application materials 
should be sent to the Project Officer noted above. If a party is 
interested in both missions, an application must be submitted for each 
mission. Applications sent by facsimile must be immediately followed by 
submission of the original application to Ms. Bruner at the following 
address: Office of Business Liaison, Room 5062, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, 14th and Constitution, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl Bruner or Katy Ruth at 202-482-
1360. Information is also available via the International Trade 
Administration's (ITA) Internet home page at ``<a href="http://www.ita.doc.gov/
uscs/doctm">http://www.ita.doc.gov/
uscs/doctm</a>''.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Trade Mission Description

    Secretary of Commerce, William M. Daley, will lead two trade 
missions to Latin America in May, each with a U.S. business delegation. 
The Mission to Brazil will include stops in Rio de Janeiro and Sao 
Paulo. While in Brazil, the Secretary will attend the Americas Business 
Forum in Belo Horizonte, an event separate from the trade mission. 
Members of the U.S. private sector delegation on the Brazil Trade 
Mission are encouraged to attend the Forum at their option. After the 
Brazil trade mission, the Secretary will meet another U.S. business 
delegation in Argentina which will participate in the trade mission 
there and in Chile. The overall focus of the trip will be the 
commercial opportunities, including joint ventures, presented by the 
development and liberalization in Brazil's, Argentina's and Chile's 
infrastructure and other economic sectors, and the promotion of the 
United States as a destination for foreign tourists. Specific sectors 
to be highlighted include electric power generation, information 
technologies (including telecommunications and computers), 
environmental technologies, transportation infrastructure and 
infrastructure finance. The United States and Foreign Commercial 
Service will provide logistical support for these activities at each 
stop.
    The itinerary of the Brazil Mission will be as follows:

May 11 (Sun):
    Leave United States
May 12 (Mon):
    Arrive Rio de Janeiro
    Leave Rio de Janeiro
    Arrive Sao Paulo
May 13 (Tues):
    Depart Sao Paulo
    Arrive Belo Horizonte (Belo Horizonte portion of trip at 
participant's option)
May 14 (Wed):
    Belo Horizonte (Americas Business Forum)
May 15 (Thurs):
    Depart Belo Horizonte

    The itinerary for the Argentina and Chile Mission will be as 
follows:

May 15 (Thurs):
    Arrive Buenos Aires
May 16 (Fri):
    Buenos Aires
May 17 (Sat):
    Leave Buenos Aires
    Arrive Santiago
May 18 (Sun):
    Santiago
May 19 (Mon):
    Santiago
May 20 (Tues):

[[Page 17597]]

    Return United States

    The goals for the missions are:
    <bullet> Reaffirm President Clinton's commitment to hemispheric 
free trade, energize the U.S. private sector in its support for USG 
free trade initiatives and raise awareness of how the U.S. can benefit 
from further liberalization and commercial integration. In this 
context, the mission will highlight the upcoming Summit of the Americas 
that will occur in Santiago, Chile in March, 1998.
    <bullet> Seek resolution of outstanding bilateral commercial issues 
and advocate U.S. interests regarding specific projects.
    <bullet> Increase sales of U.S. products and services to Brazil, 
Argentina and Chile, particularly to the infrastructure sectors of 
these countries.
    <bullet> Highlight the opening of the Brazilian, Argentine and 
Chilean markets.
    <bullet> Increase joint ventures and investments by U.S. companies 
in Brazil, Argentina and Chile, especially those likely to result in 
U.S. exports.
    A full description of the missions is set forth in the Mission 
Statement, which is available from Cheryl Bruner, Project Office and 
Director of the Office of Business Liaison, at the above address.

Trade Mission Participation Criteria

    The recruitment and selection of private sector participants in the 
missions will be conducted according to the Statement of Policy 
Governing Department of Commerce Overseas Trade Missions announced by 
Secretary Daley on March 3, 1997 and reflected herein. For the Brazil 
and Argentina/Chile business development missions, individuals must be 
a level of executive seniority appropriate to the goals of the mission. 
Company participation will be determined on the basis of:

    <bullet> Consistency of the company's goals with the scope and 
desired outcome of the missions as described herein;
    <bullet> Relevance of a company's business line to the plan for 
the missions;
    <bullet> Past, present and prospective business activity in 
Latin America, and particularly Brazil, Argentina and Chile, as 
applicable; and
    <bullet> Diversity of company size, type, location, demographics 
and traditional under-representation in business.

    An applicant's partisan political activities (including political 
contributions) are irrelevant to the selection process. An interested 
party must fill out an application to be considered for participation 
in a mission.

Endorsements/Referrals

    Third parties may nominate or endorse potential applicants, but 
companies that are nominated or endorsed must themselves submit an 
application to be eligible for consideration. Referrals from political 
organizations will not be considered.

Costs

    The fees to participate in the missions have not yet been 
determined, and will be based on the number of participants. The fees 
will not cover travel or lodging expenses.

    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 1512.

    Dated: April 4, 1997.
Walter Bastian,
Director, Office of Latin America, Market Access and Compliance, 
International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.
[FR Doc. 97-9161 Filed 4-9-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DA-P