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US urges Ecuador, Colombia to
end FTA talks
The United States hopes to
complete negotiations with
Ecuador and Colombia for free
trade agreements as soon as
possible, US Ambassador to
Ecuador Linda Jewell told
reporters on Thursday.
Jewell said she was pleased by
Peru's decision to sign a free
trade pact with her country on
Wednesday. It was an example
Colombia and Ecuador should
follow, she said.
The ambassador hoped Ecuador
would do the same, saying both
Ecuador and the United States
should make concessions for the
goal.
"We will start face-to-face
conversations with Ecuador at
the end of January," Jewell
said.
She added the military base in
Ecuador's Manta region which has
been leased to the United States
for 10 years for anti-drug
operations, would not be a part
of the free trade pact.
Colombia and Ecuador withdrew
from the 19-month-old regional
trade talks with Washington late
last month for differences over
agriculture and intellectual
property policies.
In response to a request from
Ecuador, US President George W.
Bush has agreed to extend trade
talks with Quito till the end of
January next year.
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