By TODD J. GILLMAN / The Dallas Morning News
tgillman@dallasnews.com
/national/stories/042109dnnatkirk.f418b574.html
WASHINGTON – U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk reported progress today on pending trade deals with Panama and Colombia.
The former Dallas mayor accompanied President Barack Obama to the Summit of the Americas this weekend in Trinidad and Tobago, where he met privately with Panama's president, Martin Torrijos, and Colombia's president, Álvaro Uribe, to discuss separate free-trade deals long stalled in Congress.
Both countries are eager to finalize the deals, and Kirk said he's working "in good faith" to do so.
"It was a very productive summit for the U.S., and and it was something that I personally enjoyed," Kirk told reporters today in a conference call before attending the first meeting of the Obama Cabinet.
"It was a very productive summit for the U.S., and and it was something that I personally enjoyed," Kirk told reporters today in a conference call before attending the first meeting of the Obama Cabinet.
On Panama, Kirk said he's focused mainly on beefing up labor rules, and to a lesser degree addressing concerns in Congress about Panama's tax laws. Panama holds a presidential election next month, and Kirk said that may provide a "window to move more forcefully."
As for Colombia, Kirk noted that Uribe puts a high priority on the deal. And, although some Republicans fear the Obama team isn't as eager to finalize the deal, Kirk indicated the administration is interested in finalizing the deal, too. Democrats and U.S. unions cite concerns about violence targeting labor activists in Colombia.
"It was a very, very good, productive meeting," Kirk said, "My own personal thought as a mayor and as a lawyer is that when you've got two willing partners, that's a pretty good recipe for getting a deal done."
Kirk was careful in describing discussions pertaining to the North American Free Trade Agreement.
During the campaign last year, Obama told Midwest voters he would renegotiate the deal that is widely blamed for job losses. As president, Obama has softened that stance, which angered Mexico and Canada, though he continues to call for new labor and environmental safeguards.
Kirk said all three NAFTA partners are seeking "opportunities to strengthen" the deal, but Obama's goals "can be addressed without having to reopen the agreement."
"At an appropriate time I will be meeting with our colleagues to try to put a little form to that," he said.
At the summit, Obama's interactions with two leaders who are most antagonistic toward the United States – Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chavez and Bolivian leader Evo Morales – were closely watched.
Kirk said he personally had only passing contact with those leaders, devoting much of his time getting to know trade ministers from Latin America with whom he'll work in coming years.
"I'd like to think I'm a reasonably pleasant fellow," Kirk joked, though "it was a good substantive dialogue as well."
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