QUITO (AP)--Business and government representatives from 34 nations in the Western Hemisphere ended a meeting in Quito Friday setting a date in December for discussion of the troublesome issue of tariffs.
During the meetings U.S. officials worked to temper skepticism from some Latin American countries about a plan to create a hemisphere-wide free-trade zone by 2005.
The Free Trade Area of the Americas is a trade bloc envisioned as an extension of NAFTA.
The talks were largely overshadowed by growing resistance by some Latin American leaders who united behind complaints the U.S. isn't doing enough to open its markets to businesses in the region.
"We have to defend our interests too," said Argentine Foreign Minister Carlos Ruckauf. "We have to go in united to protect ourselves against the giant," he said, referring to the U.S.
Venezuelan Production Minister Ramon Rosales also cautioned that creating a larger trade area required more effort from the U.S.
"We need markets opened to us to help create jobs," he said. "It's the only way to combat poverty and help strengthen our economy."
Business leaders from smaller economies in Latin America and the Caribbean said they want Washington to drop agricultural subsidies and import tariffs as part of the agreement.
Closing out the talks, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellnick appeared to signal those voices had been heard, saying "many have mentioned the need for an expanded role of the larger economies and I agree with that."
But he urged that those differences shouldn't be an obstacle to deepening trade links, particularly at a time when much of the region is grappling with economic turmoil.
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