MEDIA REACTION: FREE TRADE

UNCLAS BOGOTA 005223 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO OPRC PREL SNAR PGOV CO FTA SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: FREE TRADE ¶1. Leading editorial in Medellin-based daily El Colombiano (5/31) entitled: "FTA Is A Priority," notes: "The negotiations on a free trade agreement with the U.S. are entering their final phase. We are starting to hear a few voices expressing a lack of enthusiasm due to an unhurried process, as well as alarming voices predicting the imminent wreck of trade activities. We are also perceiving certain ambiguity inside the public sector regarding the priority the top government is giving to finishing the negotiations and to the usefulness of the agreement...Although, it is understandable that in an ambitious, complex and long-lasting project blown-up expectations and particular interests at risk create dissatisfaction, there also seems to be a misunderstanding by a few who compare a free trade agreement with a U.S. assistance program... Such voices sound like an unfortunate threat to the U.S. negotiating team for several reasons. First, they open the way to sending the public the wrong idea that Colombia is doing the U.S. a favor by signing a free trade agreement. To threaten is a nasty mechanism... Second, we must keep in mind that a free trade agreement with the U.S. after 2006 is crucial to Colombia. Almost 45 percent of Colombian exports go to the U.S. market; Colombia will be in disadvantage in front of others in the region when ATPDEA expires and a FTA with the U.S. isn't in place." ¶2. Op-Ed by the academic Roberto Gonzalez-Arana in Barranquilla-based daily El Heraldo (5/31) entitled: "FTA: Where Are We Heading?" states: "Many changes are possible via the free trade policy. Now, Colombia is entering 'the used fashion' mode with the endorsement of the central Government. First there was the rumor that used clothes would come in under a FTA...Most recently the import of 3,000 used trucks has been authorized by the Ministry of Transport affecting the automobile industry and in contradiction with the accords under the World Trade Organization...Do we really know where we are heading in terms of free trade? ¶3. Op-ed by former Minister of Treasury Rudolf Hommes in economic daily Portafolio (5/30) entitled: "Let Them Stay Away!" notes: "The Association of Colombian Farmers with the backing of the Business Associations wants to impede the Colombian Government from attending the next round of FTA talks in Guayaquil...Pressuring the U.S. for answers is not the problem; it is just that this is not the right time to do it, especially when the US farm lobby, as blind and irresponsible as our own, is trying to torpedo the FTA with Central America... The Colombian Government would be wrong to stand up the United States in Guayaquil to pressure for something that is not going to happen." ¶4. Cover story in weekly Semana (5/30) headline: "FTA Crisis," notes: "The agricultural issue has the trade negotiations with the U.S. at a sinking point." WOOD