U.S., S'pore discuss trade pact<\/p>\n
WASHINGTON (Reuters): The United States and Singapore still
\nhave a number of issues to resolve before finishing work on a
\nfree-trade agreement, a top U.S. trade official said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
"We've made very, very substantial progress, but we've quite a
\nway to go," U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky said in
\na speech to the Economic Strategy Institute one day after
\nRepublican congressional leaders urged the administration not to
\nrush into an pact.<\/p>\n
When the free-trade talks were announced last month, President
\nBill Clinton and Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong set a
\ngoal of finishing before the end of the year.<\/p>\n
Barshefsky acknowledged that the two countries would miss that
\ndeadline but did not rule out an agreement before the Clinton
\nadministration ends on Jan. 20.<\/p>\n
On Monday, Republican congressional leaders urged Clinton not
\nto rush into a free-trade agreement with Singapore or with Chile
\nbefore leaving office.<\/p>\n
The United States has also recently started trade negotiations
\nwith Chile, although those are on a slower schedule than those
\nwith Singapore.<\/p>\n
In a letter, Senate Republican Leader Trent Lott and House
\nSpeaker Dennis Hastert warned that Clinton's plan to include
\nenvironmental and labor provisions in the two trade pacts would
\n"severely undermine the ability of the next president to craft a
\nbipartisan trade program."<\/p>\n
Republicans have resisted Democratic efforts to write labor
\nand environmental protections into trade agreements.<\/p>\n
They argue that such provisions make it more difficult to
\nnegotiate trade agreements and the issues are better dealt with
\nin other international forums.<\/p>",
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