"...a tremendous leap toward erasing the United States border with Mexico."
_______________________
The following from: The Examiner.com (H-T to J. Gibson)
Mexican
ambassador announces inspection-free border crossings
~ By Terri Hall
“Welcome to San Antonio, the NAFTA city,” declared San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro at tonight’s opening of the NAFTA 20 conference held in San Antonio to commemorate 20 years since the signing of the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in the Alamo city. Castro served as host for the event and spoke of NAFTA’s vision being fulfilled, and San Antonio proudly acting as the conduit. Leaders from the three North American countries had promised something akin to announcing NAFTA 2.0, and they didn’t disappoint.
Mexican Ambassador to the Untied States Arturo Sarukhan determined, “If Texas is the engine behind the success of NAFTA, San Antonio is the spark plug.”
Then the Ambassador eagerly divulged that within the next 3-5 days, the Mexican government is prepared to announce pre-inspection facilities in Mexico where goods entering that country headed for the United States would be inspected at these Mexican facilities and allowed to enter the U.S. without stopping at the border. Companies would be pre-certified and vetted by the two governments in a tremendous leap toward erasing the United States border with Mexico and achieve one of NAFTA’s chief goals -- to create a common economic and security perimeter, a true North American Union.
In the midst of political and business leaders singing the praises and successes of NAFTA, like the integrated supply chain and elimination of tariffs and other trade barriers, many of their remarks played defense, as opposition and protectionist sentiments loom large, particularly with U.S. unemployment remaining stubbornly high.
This made Sarukhan’s call to modernize NAFTA by the three countries joining the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) that much more bold. Many leaders in North America openly fret about the threat of TPP to NAFTA, while the Ambassador encouraged them to embrace it. He acknowledged that security and political issues have caught up with NAFTA and that none of the three countries’ leaders seem willing to deepen NAFTA, so he called the TPP a way strengthen NAFTA through the “back door.”
“I don’t think there’s the interest in deepening NAFTA, but the beauty of TPP is we can do it through the back door, by having Mexico, Canada, and the United States join the TPP and bring us up from the bootstraps,” revealed Sarukhan who wants to see NAFTA pushed further with what he called low hanging fruit like a single customs form and cabinet-level NAFTA czar within each government.
“It is my job to convince the Americans that this bilateral relationship with Mexico is the most important relationship it has on the face of the earth,” claimed a confident Sarukhan.
Canadian Consul General Paula Caldwell St.-Onge took friendly swipes at the bilateral connection forged between the United States and Mexico, quick to note that the trilateral relations launched under NAFTA ushered in a new age of prosperity for Canada, which is the top export destination for 35 states.
She warned, “We need to protect ourselves from protectionist views,” echoing Sarukhan’s sentiments. “When you say ‘buy American’ you’re wrong. We should buy North American.”
Regardless of the enthusiasm of these trilateral leaders, NAFTA’s growing pains and future roadmap will be debated and addressed throughout the day Friday when the conference comes to a close.
See NAFTA related read here: Problems Facing The United States...and nobody is facing reality
~ By Terri Hall
“Welcome to San Antonio, the NAFTA city,” declared San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro at tonight’s opening of the NAFTA 20 conference held in San Antonio to commemorate 20 years since the signing of the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in the Alamo city. Castro served as host for the event and spoke of NAFTA’s vision being fulfilled, and San Antonio proudly acting as the conduit. Leaders from the three North American countries had promised something akin to announcing NAFTA 2.0, and they didn’t disappoint.
Mexican Ambassador to the Untied States Arturo Sarukhan determined, “If Texas is the engine behind the success of NAFTA, San Antonio is the spark plug.”
Then the Ambassador eagerly divulged that within the next 3-5 days, the Mexican government is prepared to announce pre-inspection facilities in Mexico where goods entering that country headed for the United States would be inspected at these Mexican facilities and allowed to enter the U.S. without stopping at the border. Companies would be pre-certified and vetted by the two governments in a tremendous leap toward erasing the United States border with Mexico and achieve one of NAFTA’s chief goals -- to create a common economic and security perimeter, a true North American Union.
In the midst of political and business leaders singing the praises and successes of NAFTA, like the integrated supply chain and elimination of tariffs and other trade barriers, many of their remarks played defense, as opposition and protectionist sentiments loom large, particularly with U.S. unemployment remaining stubbornly high.
This made Sarukhan’s call to modernize NAFTA by the three countries joining the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) that much more bold. Many leaders in North America openly fret about the threat of TPP to NAFTA, while the Ambassador encouraged them to embrace it. He acknowledged that security and political issues have caught up with NAFTA and that none of the three countries’ leaders seem willing to deepen NAFTA, so he called the TPP a way strengthen NAFTA through the “back door.”
“I don’t think there’s the interest in deepening NAFTA, but the beauty of TPP is we can do it through the back door, by having Mexico, Canada, and the United States join the TPP and bring us up from the bootstraps,” revealed Sarukhan who wants to see NAFTA pushed further with what he called low hanging fruit like a single customs form and cabinet-level NAFTA czar within each government.
“It is my job to convince the Americans that this bilateral relationship with Mexico is the most important relationship it has on the face of the earth,” claimed a confident Sarukhan.
Canadian Consul General Paula Caldwell St.-Onge took friendly swipes at the bilateral connection forged between the United States and Mexico, quick to note that the trilateral relations launched under NAFTA ushered in a new age of prosperity for Canada, which is the top export destination for 35 states.
She warned, “We need to protect ourselves from protectionist views,” echoing Sarukhan’s sentiments. “When you say ‘buy American’ you’re wrong. We should buy North American.”
Regardless of the enthusiasm of these trilateral leaders, NAFTA’s growing pains and future roadmap will be debated and addressed throughout the day Friday when the conference comes to a close.
See NAFTA related read here: Problems Facing The United States...and nobody is facing reality
2 comments:
Goodbye USA
gar
Ref:"Goodbye USA"
The first time I thought about that expression was back in 1969. I was stationed in the upper peninsula of Michigan and had occasional appointments at the University Of Northern Michigan's Audiology experts (have a daughter born with hearing loss). On one of my visits I happened to be in uniform while some Vietnam protest movement was in progress. The stares and looks directed my way where enough to stimulate a feeling of hopelessness while I asked myself that question, "Is this the end of the USA?" Not exactly a "Goodbye USA" but the thought still lingered. I sometimes wondered what it would have been like if I were not hanging onto my then 3 year-old child. The protestors did not exhibit any signs of respect for my uniform but maybe they had some concern for the safety of my child.
I had the distinct feeling that if I were alone they would have run me off campus. In any event, after my appointment I had to walk through the same group of protestors and before entering my car one of them shouted out, "Goodbye USA!" So there you have it, 'exactly'
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