Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry released the following
statement
today in response to the singing the U.S.-Central American Free Trade
Agreement:
"Over the last decade, I have consistently supported free trade
agreements
that have both opened markets and made progress in requiring
enforceable
labor and environmental standards. In the 1990s, that progress
included the
free trade agreement with Jordan which included strong and enforceable
labor
and environmental provisions in the core of the agreement.
"As the nations of Central America are among our closest neighbors and
allies, I greatly wish that the Bush administration was today signing a
trade
agreement with Central America that was built on that progress and was
worthy
of our support.
"Unfortunately, the free trade agreement that was signed today marks a
disappointing and unnecessary step backwards in our nation's efforts
to
ensure that opening markets results in higher living standards on all
sides
and not a race to the bottom on worker rights and environmental
protection.
"Therefore I will oppose the CAFTA as currently negotiated by President
Bush.
Instead of building on the progress of the Jordan agreement, CAFTA
marks a
reversal by not including adequate and fully enforceable protections
for
labor rights and environmental protections in the core of the
agreement.
"Despite the economic and social progress made by our Central American
neighbors in recent years, the record of very weak protections for core
labor
rights and inadequate enforcement records makes it especially essential
that
CAFTA include strong and enforceable labor and environmental protection
in
the core of the agreement. As now constructed, CAFTA would actually
make the
current situation worse because it would take away a strong tool to
help
address violations of core labor standards that is now included in our
current system of trade preferences for Central America.
"The United States should trade more with our allies and neighbors in
Central
America to spark growth and strengthen ties between our nations.
President
Bush is failing these countries by knowingly signing an agreement that
not
only misses the mark on labor and environmental standards, but has so
little
support that he won't even submit it to the US Congress.
"As President I will work hard to strengthen our economic and political
ties
with our neighbors in Central America. I will bring us back to the
negotiating table to develop an agreement that provides economic
benefits,
creates jobs and includes strong protections for labor and the
environment."
-30 -www.johnkerry.com:
