US refuses to renegotiate NAFTA, wants moves on infrastructure

Feb 27, 2008, 21:13 GMT

Mexico City - The United States will not agree to a renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) on sensitive topics like agriculture, US Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez stressed Wednesday in Mexico City.

He stressed that NAFTA has been 'a huge success' since it went into force in 1994, so any changes must be limited to 'administrative decisions' rather than reviews of the agreement.

Peasant organizations in Mexico have demanded a renegotiation of the agricultural chapter, to protect sensitive products like corn and beans that have become completely tariff-free since January 1.

Gutierrez noted that there are mechanisms within NAFTA to make it stronger and 'more resistant.'

'It is clear that NAFTA has made a contribution to all three countries,' he stressed.

Speaking in Spanish, Gutierrez - born in Cuba - expressed the United States' interest in infrastructure projects in Mexico.

'We want US firms to be present and be a part of such an important project,' Gutierrez told reporters after opening the conference US- Mexico: Building Partnerships in Infrastructure.

The US secretary of commerce said there are some 30 large-scale projects in Mexico in which US investors are interested, in sectors like airports, roads and ports.

The Mexican infrastrcture project 2007-2012 opens up for US companies new business opportunities for over 141 billion dollars, the authorities of the United States have said.

Gutierrez noted that trade relations between his country and Mexico are 'large, growing, important,' with an annual volume of about 350 billion dollars and great prospects.

'We want to prepare for the coming growth,' he said.

Gutierrez was in Mexico to attend a ministerial meeting of the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America Wednesday and Thursday in the resort town of Los Cabos, along with several colleagues from the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The meeting was also set to prepare the trilateral summit scheduled to take place in the US city of New Orleans April 21-22, with the presence of US President George W Bush, Mexican President Felipe Calderon and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.