“If press reports are accurate, this is indeed good news and the NFTC and its members strongly support Ambassador Kirk’s vision for using the TPP negotiations as a means to expand our commercial engagement with the Asia-Pacific region.
“The strategy that seems to be emerging from USTR is to engage our trading partners on a multitude of levels, including enforcement of existing agreements and resolution of long-standing disputes. Engaging early on through the TPP to develop a creative approach to a plurilateral and comprehensive market opening initiative in the Asia-Pacific region jump starts this Administration’s strategy and signals to our trading partners that the United States is serious about expanding markets for American
products and services.
“Starting negotiations this year through the TPP will lay the groundwork for an even more productive Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference hosted by the United States in 2011.
“We look forward to official confirmation from USTR on the status of the TPP initiative.”
About the NFTC
Advancing Global Commerce for 95 Years – The National Foreign Trade Council (www.nftc.org) is a leading business organization advocating an open, rules-based global trading system. Founded in 1914 by a broad-based group of American companies, the NFTC now serves hundreds of member companies through its offices in Washington and New York.
