Miami Herald | By Christina Hoag | Nov. 17, 2003
Gov. Jeb Bush kicked off the Americas Business Forum this morning, saying that this week's free trade talks are a continuation of Miami's ''privileged role'' in the development of tariff-free commerce in the Western Hemisphere.
Bush told several hundred business leaders and representatives from throughout the Americas that Florida is a pivotal point in hemispheric trade.
''We have one foot firmly embedded in the Latin America and Caribbean and one foot firmly embedded in our great country,'' he said.
In 1994, the Summit of the Americas in Miami served as the launching pad of the Free Trade Area of the Americas, which will group all countries in the hemisphere except Cuba in a common market to be launched in January 2005.
Miami also served as the host for the signing earlier this year of the U.S-Chile Free Trade Agreement, Bush noted.
''We are already totally integrated with this region'' of the Americas, Bush said.
The three-day Americas Business Forum gathers private sector leaders to discuss issues under negotiation for the proposed FTAA.
At the end of two days of workshops, business representatives will present their recommendations to trade ministers on issues ranging from intellectual property rights to agricultural subsidies.
The goal is for the ministers to take input from the business community into account as they hammer out the framework of the trade treaty.
Carl Cira, director of Florida International University's Summit of the Americas Center and a key organizer of the forum, urged the business leaders to work intensely as the deadline for the FTAA is nearing.
Additionally, he noted, the United States and Brazil, which have been at an impasse over the scope of the talks, are now showing an impetus to come to an agreement.
''There appears new will to move ahead,'' he said. ``We want a lot of good news coming out of Miami.''
After the opening ceremony, participants started the first of the workshops.Miami Herald:
