tc “Toward U.S. Over Iraq”
Freer hemispheric trade will overshadow any Latin American ill will toward U.S. policy in Iraq, Luis Lauredo told GlobalFax.
Mr. Lauredo, executive director of the next Free Trade Area of the Americas negotiating round to be held Nov. 17-21 in Miami, passed through Atlanta’s Hartsfield Interna-tional Airport en route to Huntsville, Ala., on April 3.
He spoke during World Trade Day in Huntsville about the benefits of free trade and, specifically, the Free Trade Area of the Americas.
“Throughout the world there are some ill feelings about the U.S. and the Iraq war, but now with support for our troops coming from the Iraqi people, Latin American opinions will turn around,” Mr. Lauredo said.
“The Americas is our natural sphere of influence and natural sphere of friends. Wherever the secretariat locates, this free trade area will be in place by Jan. 1, 2005 because the political will is there,” he added.
Mr. Lauredo will be traveling to a few Latin American cities and six or seven U.S. cities to promote the eighth round of FTAA negotiations.
He added that he also hoped to visit Atlanta to discuss the FTAA negotiation process with local officials and businesspersons but had no plans yet to do so.
Contact Mr. Lauredo, president of Hunton & Williams Latin America Services LLC, at (305) 810-2527. Visit www.globalatlanta.com for full text.