FTAA MINISTERIAL MEETING TO BE HELD IN MIAMI

FTAA MINISTERIAL MEETING TO BE HELD IN MIAMI    The Bush administration said the next Free Trade Area of the Americas Ministerial Meeting will be held in Miami on Nov. 20-21.
   During the meeting, 34 FTAA nations will consider ways to remove tariffs, trade barriers and promote regional economic integration and development throughout the Western Hemisphere. The agreement is scheduled for completion by January 2005.
   The FTAA negotiations will enter an important phase on Feb. 15, when member nations are supposed to submit their specific offers to reduce trade barriers in the areas of agriculture, goods, services, investment and government procurement.
   “In the coming weeks, the United States will be offering aggressive proposals to slash tariffs and remove trade barriers throughout the region,” said the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.