Bogota Mayor: People Should Settle FTA
Prensa Latina, Cuba
Bogota Mayor: People Should Settle FTA
9 February 2006
Bogota, Feb 9 (Prensa Latina) Bogota Mayor Luis Eduardo Garzon insisted Thursday on a referendum to finally resolve the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Washington because of its upshots in the Colombian people.
"Although it is not usual, it would be the first time the people opine over an issue affecting the economy," noted Garzon regarding President Alvaro Uribe’s decision to conduct FTA final talks.
He set May 27 as a date to carry out that referendum.
Uribe gave out Wednesday he would lead FTA talks in the face of the impossibility of a consensus on agriculture.
Local analysts warned Uribe that his presence will not influence on the US position since negotiations began.
They added the FTA will undermine Colombia’s sovereignty and independence, go bankrupt to several small and medium companies and affect people with the medicine rising prices.
