Nov. 19, 2003, 1:01AM
U.S. adds 6 players to lean on Brazil
S. American giant puts up resistance
By JENALIA MORENO
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle
MIAMI -- In a thinly veiled attempt to pressure Brazil to play by its rules, the United States announced Tuesday it will soon have six more trading pals in Brazil's neighborhood.
The Bush administration said it plans to begin negotiations for a free-trade agreement with the Andean nations of Bolivia and Colombia by the middle of next year.
Ecuador and Bolivia will be included in negotiations later, according to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick. Also, the United States plans to do trade deals with Panama and the Dominican Republic, he said.
The administration initially had wanted to include the Dominican Republic in the Central American Free Trade Agreement, negotiated last month in Houston. But he said talks with the island nation will begin in January.
"The five CAFTA countries and the Dominican Republic trade more with the United States than we do with Brazil," Zoellick said in what seemed like a jab at the South American nation. (snip/...)
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/business/2233158
Zoellick