Ron Kirk: No Need to Renegotiate NAFTA
May 5, 2009
Reuters reports that U.S. Trade Representative Mark Kirk told reporters during a conference call about trade issues discussed at the Summit of the Americas meeting last week in Trinidad that NAFTA’s problems can be addressed without reopening the agreement. Kirk’s statement indicates that the new administration’s position on NAFTA, which was a frequent subject of debate in last year’s election contest, may not include an effort to renegotiate. During his campaign, President Obama frequently discussed amending NAFTA, and included the addition of stronger labor and environmental provisions as top priorities.