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U.S., Panama to meet in Tampa for free trade talks

Local chamber of commerce officials are hailing Tampa's selection, but many in Panama oppose ending trade barriers.

By STEVE HUETTEL
Published July 17, 2004

TAMPA - About 100 trade negotiators from the United States and Panama will meet in Tampa next month to work on a bilateral free trade agreement.

The five days of talks, starting Aug. 9 at the Tampa Waterside Marriott hotel, will be the fourth round of formal negotiations on a pact to remove trade barriers between the countries.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick selected Tampa to highlight trade agreements in a community where businesses can benefit the most from them, said Charlotte Starfire, international trade director for the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber has focused on promoting international trade, said John Ramil, chamber chair and president of TECO Energy.

"Tampa's selection to host the next round of negotiations is a clear indication that others recognize this area as a competitive international player and a business gateway to Latin America," he said in a prepared statement.

Panama has historic ties with the United States, which operated the Panama Canal before turning over full control in 1999. Trade between the countries totaled $2.1-billion in 2003, with U.S. exports accounting for $1.8-billion. About one-third of those exports moved through Florida ports.

Panama has struggled to attract foreign investment to areas around the canal that were formerly held by the U.S. But the talks are controversial there. Thousands of students, activists and farmers marched in Panama City on Thursday demanding an end to negotiations, claiming a pact would devastate Panama's farm sector.

The third round of talks ended in Panama City Friday, with officials saying they might not be able to wrap up negotiations in Tampa as originally planned, Starfire said.

In conjunction with the trade talks in Tampa, the chamber plans to host a forum Aug. 9 for U.S. executives to discuss opportunities with about 70 Panamanian business officials.

- Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

[Last modified July 17, 2004, 01:00:37]