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COPYRIGHT 2004 The Miami Herald
Byline: Jane Bussey
Nov. 20--A year after a hectic hemispheric trade summit in Miami -- crowned by a political compromise to keep the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas on track -- regional trade negotiations have unraveled and key countries are straining to revamp the process.
The Miami ministerial meeting, which jammed the city with thousands of trade officials, business executives and protesters, ended on a upbeat note a year ago today. The process has entered a new and final phase, U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick said at the closing ceremony.
But since then, momentum for a hemisphere-wide trade alliance among 34 nations has stalled, and regional trade negotiators have not even met since February. They will miss a year-end deadline to wrap up the trade and investment treaty.
"These negotiations are reduced to the point of charade," said Peter Morici, a professor at the University of Maryland.
Still, supporters of the FTAA -- including those working to win the permanent headquarters...
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