Obama in Mexico for 'Three Amigos' Trade Talks
Obama in Mexico for 'Three Amigos' Trade Talks
“Unless the leaders strive to make progress such meetings often become opportunities that are missed,” notes COA’s Eric Farnsworth on the North American Leaders Summit.
TOLUCA, Mexico — President Obama arrives in this industrial city today to talk trade with his North American counterparts, reflecting a shift in focus from security, which dominated the agendas of past "Three Amigos" summits.
Obama will meet with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to discuss commerce, immigration, energy and security....
"Symbolism is important, especially now in the 20th-anniversary year of NAFTA. Yet unless the leaders strive to make progress such meetings often become opportunities that are missed," said Eric Farnsworth, vice president of the Americas Society-Council of the Americas.
Farmsworth said NAFTA is a work in progress but it has real accomplishments.
"It demystified Mexico to the U.S. business community and vice versa, in a manner that has led directly to the kind of integrated supply chains and production that now benefits all three nations," he said. "The worst is that it's now 20 years old, and the world has changed."
Among the topics for discussion will be the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade bloc that includes Canada, Mexico, Chile, Brunei and several other parties. Obama is in favor of the deal but Democrats in Congress, such as Senate President Harry Reid, are opposed because labor unions that largely back Democratic candidates say it will cost jobs....
