ARE LONG-STALLED U.S. FREE-TRADE PACTS HEADED FOR PASSAGE?

By Peter Hakim, Celeste Drake, Carlos Mateo Paz-Soldan

U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said Sept. 12 that negotiations on passing free-trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea are currently underway in the U.S. Senate, where the Obama administration last week won approval of the revamped Trade Adjustment Assistance job retraining act. Kirk has expressed optimism that the trade pacts would be passed by the time President Barack Obama hosts leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in November. Will the three accords receive congressional approval by then? What is standing in the way of the FTAs' approval? What would continued delay mean for U.S. economic and political relations with Colombia and Panama?

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Source: Latin America Advisor