Zoellick to Attend Trade Talks in Uruguay
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick said the United States and the Mercosur countries of South America would hold a first set of free-trade talks this week in Uruguay.
Zoellick made the announcement at the end of a trade ministers’ meeting hosted by Mexico to narrow differences on the agenda for new world-trade talks.
Zoellick said he would meet with the Mercosur countries of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay on the sidelines of a Cairns Group meeting set for today and Tuesday.
The Mercosur countries are all members of the Cairns Group, which includes 14 other agricultural exporting nations, many of them from the developing world.
Zoellick first expressed U.S. interest in trade talks with Mercosur following the International Monetary Fund’s decision last month to recommend an additional $8 billion in support to help Argentina with its economic crisis.
The United States is the largest shareholder in the IMF.
Mercosur countries and the United States already are engaged in trade talks aimed at creating the world’s largest free-trade zone, stretching from Canada to Chile.
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.
