[fla-left] [news] Miami urged as site for trade talks (fwd)

[Michael Hoover <hoov@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

forwarded by Michael Hoover

> Miami urged as site for trade talks
>
> By Sue Schultz, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
> Wednesday, April 12, 2000
>
> WASHINGTON -- Miami should be the permanent site for
> free trade talks in the Americas, Congress voted Tuesday.
>
> "Locating the (free trade area) talks in Miami makes sense,"
> said Rep. E. Clay Shaw Jr., R-Fort Lauderdale, who
> introduced the non-binding bill in the House. A similar bill
> by Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., was approved by the Senate
> in November.
>
> "The city of Miami, Miami-Dade County, and the state of
> Florida have long served as the gateway for trade with the
> Caribbean and Latin America," Shaw said.
>
> In 1998, the trade ministers of 34 countries decided to
> create a permanent location for the Free Trade Area of the
> Americas to hold all negotiations. Miami is currently one of
> the temporary sites that was selected by officials, along with
> Panama City, Panama, and Mexico City, Mexico.
>
> A permanent site will be chosen in 2005.
>
> "If the FTAA permanently locates in Miami . . . it will join
> the ranks of Washington and New York as the only American
>  cities to host a large international organization," Shaw said.