Brazil's Lula Takes Trade Off Bush's Agenda for Americas Summit

[Say_What]

<clips>



Jan. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has limited the agenda for a two-day summit with George W. Bush and 32 other North and South American leaders by refusing to discuss trade issues.

Lula, who today will meet with Bush one-on-one in Monterrey, Mexico, demanded trade be off the program as a condition for attending, Tovar da Silva Nunes, Brazil's chief coordinator of negotiations for the U.S.-sponsored Free Trade Agreement of the Americas, said in an interview.

The demand enables Lula to focus the summit, which Canada convened about six months ago, on issues related to economic growth, poverty reduction and democracy. The gathering comes as Brazil has increased trade with China and European nations at the expense of the U.S. and built support across South America to forestall Bush's attempts to speed negotiations for a free trade area spanning the hemisphere.

``Brazil is the one country in Latin America that really can and does take independent positions,'' said Peter Hakim, president of Inter-American Dialogue, a Washington-based research organization whose members include business, academic and political leaders. ``The Brazilians felt they were going to be ganged up on trade, so it was left off the table.''

<http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000086&refer=latin_america&sid=av0CFyeqn0is>


A Greenpeace protestor wears a caricature mask of U.S. President George W. Bush (news - web sites) during a protest as leaders arrive at the Extraordinary Summit of the Americas in Monterrey, Mexico January 11, 2004. Leaders from the Western Hemisphere are expected to take part in discussions on social development and equality during meetings January 12-13. REUTERS/Mariana Bazo

[bemildred]

1. Lovely.

And what is Shrub going to do about it?

[rusty charly]

2. i love how the nytimes

separates bush* from "elected" leaders:






"President Bush and 33 elected leaders of the Americas will meet here on Monday without a common vision for the future of the Western Hemisphere."

[Dover]

6. LOL! Good catch. Also referred to him as MR. Bush. Hehehe...

Of course I can think of some better names for Bush, but they're not printable.

Here's the link to that NYTimes story:

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/12/international/americas/12CND-LATI.html?hp

[Bonhomme Richard]

3. bush has absolutely no interest in.......

poverty reduction and democracy. The only item of interest is economic growth if it is for the chosen only.

[loudnclear]

4. I love Lula! He is going to be a real force to be reackoned with...

a man of true morality, integrity, and honor and the guts to do the right thing! Vive la Lula, Vive la Fiedel!

[NeoConsSuck]

5. Invest in Brazil

I bought a Brazilian Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) two weeks ago and it is already up 10%. Symbol EWZ. BTW, its up over 100% in the last year.

I've given up on owning American stocks. If American corporations want to displace workers by outsourcing, then I'll outsource my investments into global funds. Anything but American.