U.S. Pressures Trade Delegates for New Talks
Delegates to an international trade conference searched for compromises on controversial issues Friday under pressure of a deadline imposed by the United States.
While the delegates met in closed session late in the day, and Uruguayan Foreign Minister Enrique Iglesias sought to mediate the differences, the U.S. delegation posted a public announcement in the lobby of the conference center saying that its will leave for the airport Saturday at 8 a.m.
The announcement was part of a strategy adopted by the U.S. delegation chief, Trade Representative Clayton Yeutter, to apply pressure for approval of a new round of international trade negotiations aimed at preventing new restrictions on trade.
The U.S. delegation has insisted that the negotiations, under the auspices of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), must include new areas beyond trade in goods, including services such as banking, information processing and high technology, as well as a comprehensive reduction of subsidies for agricultural products.
The 74 ministers and other national delegates have been here since Monday, trying to reach agreement on the proposed new round of GATT negotiations.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
