Ron Kirk is getting to work. President and trade rep working to open up Panama, South Korea and

[RB TexLa]

Columbia for US trade.



Obama to Push Panama Trade Accord, Rework Colombia, Korea Plans


By Mark Drajem

March 2 (Bloomberg) -- President Barack Obama plans to ask Congress to approve a long-delayed free-trade agreement with Panama and establish “benchmarks” so that accords with South Korea and Colombia can be ratified in the future, a report said.

In its first annual report on trade policy, the Obama administration also said that it plans to ask Mexico and Canada to rework provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

“If we work together, free and fair trade with a proper regard for social and environmental goals and appropriate political accountability will be a powerful contributor to the national and global well being,” said the report, which was released by the U.S. Trade Representative’s office.

The report is the first detailed description of what the Obama administration plans to do on trade, and it comes even before Obama’s pick to run the trade office, former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk, is confirmed by the Senate. Kirk is scheduled to appear before the Senate Finance Committee on March 5.

During the election campaign, Obama criticized President George W. Bush, and vowed to rework agreements with Colombia and South Korea and force Canada and Mexico to add new protections for workers and the environment to Nafta. Since taking office in January, Obama has warned that the U.S. cannot pursue protectionist policies.

Bush completed free-trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea, but was unable to get Congress to approve them.



http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=au_V3gqe8ctQ&refer=home