Living in Peru : your everyday companion

(LIP-jl) -- The number two man from the United States State Department, Deputy Secretary John Negroponte, is currently in Peru, according to the United States Embassy in Lima, Peru.

Negroponte's presence in Peru is part of his Latin America tour that aims to strengthen ties with Panama, Colombia, and Peru - all countries that have pending free trade agreements with the United States.

Yesterday, Negroponte visited Peru's neighbor to the north, Ecuador to meet with President Rafael Correa, a close ally of Venezuelan and Bush administration foe, Hugo Chavez.

During yesterday's meeting, Correa pushed for the extension of the counter-drug cooperation trade act, the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act (ATPDEA) which expires next month.

While in Peru, Negroponte is scheduled to meet with Peruvian President Alan Garcia (at 4pm today). The State Department's number 2 man will also visit Peruvian Chancellor Jose Antonio Garcia Belaunde, and Peru's Education Minister Jose Antonio Chang to review educational development programs impulsed by the White House.

(LIP-jl) -- According to Peru's La Republica newspaper, the majority of United States Democratic congressmen/women elected this past November are attempting to persuade high ranking Democrat officials to abandon the U.S.-Peru Free Trade Agreement.

Although important Democratic leaders are in constant communication with U.S. President George W. Bush's administration -which seeks Democratic support in ratifying the FTAs with Peru, Colombia, and Panama- not all members from the party are in agreement of ratifying the current version of the FTAs.

According to La Republica, 42 of the newly elected congressmen and women have sent Charles Rangel, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, a letter in which they asked the veteran congressman from New York to put an end to the conversations with the Bush administration.

The letter stated that the free trade agreements are "unfair" in nature and demanded an immediate end to the ratification talks.

Meanwhile, an article published in yesterday's New York Times says that conversations between Rangel and the Bush administration have intensified recently, adding credibility to Rangel's desire to build a bipartisan trade plan.

According to the article, Rangel is committed to the FTAs as they will help increase international labor and environmental standards in the world.

(LIP-jl) -- After meeting with Peruvian President Alan Garcia last week, United States President George W. Bush played host to Colombian President Alvaro Uribe at the White House in Washington D.C. to continue his push towards obtaining the ratification of free trade agreements with Peru, Colombia, and Panama.

Standing on the White House lawn with visiting President Uribe, Bush called the pact with Colombia, Peru and Panama "good for the United States, good for job creators, farmers, workers, good for Colombia."

Bush stated votes in Congress on such trade agreements "are more than just trade votes. They are signals to South America that we stand with nations that are willing to make hard decisions on behalf of the people."

The U.S. President added: "So I urge them (lawmakers) to be open-minded and listen to his record," the president added, "because it's in our interest that they do so."

The current Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act (ATPDEA), extended earlier this year, will expire at the end of June. Unless U.S. lawmakers extend the ATPDEA before the deadline, Peru and U.S. trade officials will be racing against the clock to approve the FTA.

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	Peru sends Trade Minister to U.S. to push FTA (by LIP, 30 April, 2007)
	Peru's opposition party to protest against FTA in Washington (by LIP, 26 April, 2007)
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(LIP-jl) -- Peru's Prime Minister Jorge Del Castillo called the information revealed by the U.S. State Department's Terrorism Report on Peru as 'nothing new' to Peruvian authorities. According to the Prime Minister, internal sources have long established a link between Peru's drug trade and terrorism.

The U.S. State Department's report alerts over possible growing activities conducted by the Maoist insurgency group the Shining Path.

Del Castillo exuded a 'tell me something I don't know' attitude when asked about the U.S. report which informs about terrorist activities around the world.

"We are positive that our internal evaluations are objective on the matter. We appreciate what the U.S State Department says, but our own reports and investigations led us to this conclusion long ago," declared the Prime Minister.

The Cabinet leader indicated that Peruvian President Alan Garcia's administration has been studying the issue ever since he took office last year. He cited the execution of the Apurimac and Ene River Valleys Plan (VRAE in Spanish).

The area holds one of the largest concentrations of cocaine maceration wells operated by drug lords and guarded by terrorists factions.

The VRAE Plan has enabled additional military and police posts to be established in the one of Peru's largest coca-growing areas.

"We are beefing up the presence of our military and law enforcement agencies in places like the High Huallaga region, where police presence has been traditionally low," added Del Castillo.

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	US. State Department Country Report on Terrorism: Peru (by LIP, 2 May, 2007)
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(LIP-jl) -- After last week's visit to the United States by Peruvian President Alan Garcia, Peru is now sending its Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism to the U.S. to continue its push to have the free trade agreement between both countries ratified as soon as possible.

Mercedes Araoz, Peru's Foreign Trade and Tourism Minister, is scheduled to meet with U.S. Democratic and Republican Senators during her stay in Washington D.C., which will end this Wednesday, May 3.

"I will have an important meeting with top U.S. officials in which I will present Peru's proposed actions to achieve ratification of the FTA. Additionally, I will emphasize that our country is not willing reopen or renegotiate the treaty (already approved in Peru), though we are willing to discuss certain amendments that may appease the issues between Democrats and Republicans," said Araoz.

Just last week, Peruvian President Alan Garcia met with U.S. President George Bush and 40 U.S. Congressmen to promote Peru's need of the FTA and its positive impact on the Andean nation's growing economy.

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	Peru's Garcia says U.S. willing to support FTA ratification (by LIP, 25 April, 2007)
	Peru and U.S. solidify relations during Garcia 's visit (by LIP, 24 April, 2007)
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(LIP-jl) -- Peru's opposition party leader Ollanta Humala is maintaining firm in his opposition regarding the proposed free trade agreement between the United States and Peru.

His party, the Peruvian Nationalist Party, will send a delegation of Peruvian congressmen to officially protest and inform United States officials on the 'destruction' the agreement will have on productive sectors in Peru.

During an interview with Peru's RPP Radio, Humala announced Peruvian legislators from his party will meet with U.S. senators to explain why the proposed FTA 'is not good for Peru.'

"A delegation of Nationalist congressmen will travel to Washington D.C. to express the reasons and position of some 47.7 percent of our (Peru's) population," indicated the former presidential candidate.

According to Humala, Peruvian legislators will explain to their U.S. counterparts that the agreement will only benefit a minority of the Peruvian population who already control much of the country's wealth and will have an adverse affect efforts to fight Peru's extreme poverty.

Additionally, Peru's opposition party will reiterate their request to extend the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act (ATPDEA) which gives Peru many of the same benefits as the proposed FTA, enabling both sides more time to broker a new FTA which is more advantageous for Peru's population.

Humala, who is not opposed to a trade agreement with greater benefits, concluded by commenting: "the ratification of the FTA between Peru and the U.S. will mean the destruction of the majority of Peru's national productive sectors."

(LIP-jl) -- A representative from Peru's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism declared that United States Democrats and Republicans may come to an agreement on labor and environmental clauses that have impeded the ratification of the U.S.- Peru Free Trade Agreement as early as next week.

David Lemor, the official representative of Peru's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism in the United States, says that Peruvian President Alan Garcia's recent trip to the U.S. was 'positive' and it 'permitted Peru to reiterate its position.'

Lemor added that if officials from both U.S. political parties can come to an agreement on Peru's enforcement, of international labor laws and environmental standards during next week's meeting, then an approval will soon likely follow.

"We are optimistic that in the following days or even next week, there will be a solution to the debated issues between Democrats and Republicans, which will result in a rapid approval," declared Lemur to Peru's RPP Radio.

Meanwhile the Foreign Trade representative qualified Peruvian President Alan Garcia's trip to Washington D.C. as a 'success' as assured U.S. officials of Peru's good intentions to allow certain amendments to the debated issues.

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	Peru's Garcia says U.S. willing to support FTA ratification (by LIP, 25 April, 2007)
	Peru and U.S. solidify relations during Garcia 's visit (by LIP, 24 April, 2007)
	Remarks from meeting between Peru's Garcia and U.S.'s Bush (by LIP, 23 April, 2007)
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(LIP-jl) -- Fresh off his trip from the United States, Peruvian President Alan Garcia declared U.S. officials 'are willing' to support Peru's push to ratify the free trade agreement between both nations.

"I think we have achieved some positive things," said Garcia after yesterday's meeting with U.S. Senator and Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance Max Baucus (Montana-D), and Senator Chuck Grasely (Iowa-R), a senior member the same committee.

"Judging from the expressions and gestures I received from U.S. Democratic and Republican representatives, as well as from the Secretary of State (Condoleezza Rice), I would say there is great will to support Peru," said the Peruvian leader.

Garcia met with such officials such as Charles Rangel (New York-D), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Harry Reid (Nevada-D), U.S. Senate Majority Leader, as well as with senior Republican legislative officials.

According to Peruvian Chancellor, Jose Antonio Garcia Belaunde -who accompanied the Peruvian president, the trip to Washington provided "very good and successful results."

"I believe the conditions to have the free trade agreement approved have been laid out by both sides, let us hope that the amendment issues which are being proposed can be resolved quickly. I do not believe there will be any problem from our side," said the Chancellor.

With only 9 months at the helm of the Peruvian government, Garcia concluded his second trip to Washington D.C. within the past six months.

(LIP-jl) -- Peruvian President Alan Garcia concluded his first full day of meetings in the United States as he attempts to build momentum in obtaining support from United States officials to ratify the U.S.-Peru Free Trade Agreement.

Early yesterday morning, Garcia met with U.S. President George W. Bush to discuss their strategy to convince U.S. Democrats in approving the trade promotion treaty between both nations.

"The President (Garcia) is here to urge the Congress, both Republicans and Democrats, to pass the free trade agreement with Peru, and I urge them to vote yes," said President Bush during yesterday's meeting in the White House Oval Office.

Garcia, who was firm in his position on the free trade agreement said: "I am here in the United States to promote the FTA between the United States and Peru. It is vital for our country. It is fundamental to continue this path of growth and social redistribution that we have started in my country."

"We have achieved an 8 percent annual growth in my country. This year we're expecting a similar growth, 8 percent annually, with 1 percent inflation, which creates more job opportunities," reiterated Garcia.

Garcia also started the difficult task of convincing the U.S. Congress to approve the commercial agreement by meeting with U.S. Senate Majority Leader Henry Reid (D-Nevada), who held firm in his party's position to renegotiate labor and environmental clauses listed in the FTA.

"We talked about the importance of negotiations to change the labor and environmental provisions and other aspects of the agreement. Changes to reflect Democratic concerns will be crucial to obtain the support of many Democrats for the agreement," said Reid.

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	Remarks from meeting between Peru's Garcia and U.S.'s Bush (by LIP, 23 April, 2007)
	Peru's Garcia in U.S. (by LIP, 23 April, 2007)
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(LIP-jl) -- Peruvian President Alan Garcia, with Peruvian Chancellor Jose Antonio Garcia Belaunde at his side, arrived in the United States yesterday to spearhead Peru's efforts in obtaining a positive outcome in free trade talks between both countries.

"I will travel in just a few moments accompanied by the Chancellor to fortify our possibilities to achieve an FTA approval," stated Garcia moments before he departed Lima's Jorge Chavez International Airport yesterday.

Today Garcia will meet with United States President George W. Bush, along with key U.S. figures such as U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, and Carlos M. Gutierrez.

Additionally, the Peruvian leader is scheduled to dialogue with 40 U.S. congressmen.

Garcia expressed the importance of ratifying the FTA between the U.S. and Peru as it will be a major indicator of Latin America's future.

"We are now defining the future of Latin America and more specifically, South America. If the Peruvian democratic model, fused with investments and free trade, functions other countries in the region will surely follow the same path to success," affirmed Garcia.

"The trade agreement is an important step. It will further catapult what our country has already done without an FTA," added the Peruvian President.

Earlier this year, obtaining an agreement between U.S. officials became difficult after U.S. Democrats voiced their concern over the Peruvian government's lack of labor and environmental protection.

Peruvian officials are basing their hopes on their leaders efforts in Washington D.C. as the deadline for the Andean Trade Promotions and Drug Eradication Act (ATPDEA), is fast approaching.

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	Peru's Garcia ready to meet with Bush, promote FTA in U.S. (by LIP, 20 April, 2007)
	U.S. visit by Peru's Garcia deemed as 'crucial' to Peru's FTA efforts (by LIP, 18 April, 2007)
	Peru's Garcia to visit U.S. President Bush in April (by LIP, 30 March, 2007)
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