News Releases for February 2004
February 6, 2004
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Hoeven: Official Confirms Sugar Won't Be a Part of Australian Trade Agreement
BISMARCK, N.D. - Gov. John Hoeven today said that a top trade official has told him that sugar will not be a part of the Australia Free Trade Agreement. Hoeven spoke Thursday with U.S. Trade Ambassador Allen Johnson, chief agriculture negotiator for U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Zoellick, to reinforce the Governor's appeal to keep sugar out of the negotiations.
"I spoke with Ambassador Johnson yesterday, and he confirmed that U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick is not willing to increase sugar imports into the U.S., even though Australia is pressing hard to include it," Hoeven said. "Conflicting reports came out last month suggesting that the trade representative would negotiate sugar as part of the agreement, and that is not the case."
In addition, Johnson told Hoeven that officials will likely conclude their negotiations within a few days, and they may not arrive at an agreement at all.
Johnson also indicated that Zoellick is working to get another round of negotiations in the World Trade Organization, which Hoeven said is the right forum for the trade talks. Hoeven said he will continue to push the USTR to keep sugar out of bilateral agreements.
"Australia is pushing very hard to increase their imports to the U.S., but our negotiators are getting the message," Hoeven said. "Sugar is a vital industry in North Dakota and America and needs to be dealt with fairly."
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