United States and Colombia led to an agreement that opens the door to the immediate adoption of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries, an essential tool for trade and for strengthening political relations in a time when tensions have arisen between the two closest allies in the region.
Barack Obama and Colombian President, Juan Manuel Santos, are scheduled to meet tomorrow in Washington to finalize the details of the historic compromise. The White House announced the adoption by the Colombian authorities of a plan to guarantee the labor rights of workers in this country, the most important obstacle remained to be overcome for the passage of NAFTA, which, according to the note issued by the American presidency, "clears the way for the trade agreement with Colombia to be sent to Congress." For his part, President Santos said Tuesday in a speech at Brown University as part of the celebration in the center of the Iberoamerican Forum, which the FTA negotiations are "progressing" and hoped to reach a conclusion "in the future faster." Santos, who took part today in New York at a meeting of the Security Council of UN plans to extend their stay in the United States to complete the commitment.
The ratification of the FTA, which will enhance bilateral trade and especially the access of Colombian goods to the U.S. market, is an old aspiration of Colombia that had hit so far with enormous obstacles in Washington and had influenced the overall bilateral relations . The agreement was signed in 2006 by Presidents George Bush and Alvaro Uribe and subsequently ratified by the Colombian Senate, but never overcome the barrier of the U.S.
Senate. While leading his supporters, the unions refused to support it, among other reasons for the continuing complaints about the violation of trade union rights in Colombia. Alongside them, several congressional Democrats opposed the ratification. After his election, Obama refused to forward it to the Capitol until that situation was resolved.
Now, the White House is ready to defend NAFTA as an instrument, according to the note issued, to "allow the export of more than one billion dollars of American products will increase the GDP of 2,500 million dollars and will facilitate creating thousands of jobs. " With support from Obama, it is likely that Senate Democrats opposed hitherto finally give free rein to the agreement, which has the support of a majority of Senate Republicans, including the main driver behind John McCain.
This commitment comes at a time when relations between Colombia and the United States, focusing so far on security issues and combating drug trafficking, had cooled with the arrival to the presidency of Santos, who has tried an approach to the Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. In recent weeks the tension had increased in comparison with the fate of the Venezuelan drug lord Walid Makled, imprisoned in Colombia and whose extradition has been requested by both Venezuela and the United States.
Makled made explosive statements that relate to leading figures of the Chavez regime with the sale of drugs. 
Barack Obama and Colombian President, Juan Manuel Santos, are scheduled to meet tomorrow in Washington to finalize the details of the historic compromise. The White House announced the adoption by the Colombian authorities of a plan to guarantee the labor rights of workers in this country, the most important obstacle remained to be overcome for the passage of NAFTA, which, according to the note issued by the American presidency, "clears the way for the trade agreement with Colombia to be sent to Congress." For his part, President Santos said Tuesday in a speech at Brown University as part of the celebration in the center of the Iberoamerican Forum, which the FTA negotiations are "progressing" and hoped to reach a conclusion "in the future faster." Santos, who took part today in New York at a meeting of the Security Council of UN plans to extend their stay in the United States to complete the commitment.
The ratification of the FTA, which will enhance bilateral trade and especially the access of Colombian goods to the U.S. market, is an old aspiration of Colombia that had hit so far with enormous obstacles in Washington and had influenced the overall bilateral relations . The agreement was signed in 2006 by Presidents George Bush and Alvaro Uribe and subsequently ratified by the Colombian Senate, but never overcome the barrier of the U.S.
Senate. While leading his supporters, the unions refused to support it, among other reasons for the continuing complaints about the violation of trade union rights in Colombia. Alongside them, several congressional Democrats opposed the ratification. After his election, Obama refused to forward it to the Capitol until that situation was resolved.
Now, the White House is ready to defend NAFTA as an instrument, according to the note issued, to "allow the export of more than one billion dollars of American products will increase the GDP of 2,500 million dollars and will facilitate creating thousands of jobs. " With support from Obama, it is likely that Senate Democrats opposed hitherto finally give free rein to the agreement, which has the support of a majority of Senate Republicans, including the main driver behind John McCain.
This commitment comes at a time when relations between Colombia and the United States, focusing so far on security issues and combating drug trafficking, had cooled with the arrival to the presidency of Santos, who has tried an approach to the Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. In recent weeks the tension had increased in comparison with the fate of the Venezuelan drug lord Walid Makled, imprisoned in Colombia and whose extradition has been requested by both Venezuela and the United States.
Makled made explosive statements that relate to leading figures of the Chavez regime with the sale of drugs.
No comments:
Post a Comment