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President Roh Moo-hyun and his U.S. counterpart George W. Bush discussed knotty issues in bilateral free trade negotiations for 20 minutes on Thursday night, less than two days before the deadline for trade talks. Presidential spokesman Yoon Seung-yong said the two presidents mainly talked about auto taxes, textiles and the opening of the Korean agricultural market. He added Roh and Bush did not touch on the full opening of the Korean rice market but did not elaborate on the details.
According to Yoon, the two presidents reiterated their will to clinch a free trade agreement as a way of maximizing the mutual interest of both countries. The two heads of state decided to ask negotiators from both countries to show as much flexibility as possible in the trade talks. Observers speculate that the two agreed a broad deal given that their phone conversation came this close to the deadline and followed coordination among senior officials from the two countries.
Earlier, speaking before the National Cattlemen's Beef Association in Washington on Wednesday, Bush said the U.S. government¡¯s goal is to persuade countries that ban the import of some U.S. beef, like Japan and South Korea, to ¡°fully open¡± their beef markets. He said the U.S. government¡¯s efforts to give beef exporters full access to such countries is an important part of U.S. foreign policies.
All eyes are now on Roh¡¯s decision about the FTA¡¯s fate. The two delegations still have a pile of unresolved issues on their hands as the deadline, 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, looms. Winding up his Middle East tour, Roh returned to Korea on Friday morning.
¡ß The final decision
"The FTA has caused some disturbance in this country. I thought everything would go well, but the final stage is in difficulty,¡± Roh was quoted as saying in a meeting with Korean nationals in Doha, Qatar on Wednesday. "After a final briefing once I return home, I may have to surrender one or two things to help conclude the trade negotiations."
Observers say Roh has so far remained neutral in his evaluations of the process and prospects of the trade negotiations., "Even here, I am being briefed on important issues every hour. But I can make neither an optimistic nor a pessimistic evaluation yet." Roh said in Qatar. "Sometimes it¡¯s good that I make the final decision, of course after being thoroughly briefed, rather than for experts to do it." Roh added, "We have succeeded in opening the market so far. We are now in an era of FTAs. I¡¯m going to try to conclude the negotiations with the best results."
¡ß Decision time
By saying he may have to ¡°surrender¡± one or two things to conclude the FTA, Roh hinted the decision will be his. Close associates say the president is mulling over last-minute variables but continues to believe that an FTA between Korea and the U.S. is needed. Members of the Korean delegation are paying keen attention, given that Roh told them after the penultimate round of the FTA talks was finished there was no point concluding the deal by the deadline if the negotiations are unfavorable to Korea.
Roh maintains a style of making drastic decisions in important matters if things don't go in the direction he favors. A senior member of the Korean delegation said, "All delegation members are of the opinion that they should conclude the negotiations under any circumstances. But it¡¯s possible that the president might instruct us to stall the negotiations unless satisfactory results come out before we brief him."
¡ß Decision time on Friday
Roh will likely make his final decision on Friday afternoon. Upon returning home from his Middle East tour, he will be breiefed on the outcome of negotiations by Trade Minister Kim Hyun-chong. In the afternoon, he presides over a meeting of economic affairs-related ministers to discuss whether to conclude the negotiations, and make a final decision. Whether the deal is concluded or not, Roh will make a statement on the Korea-U.S. FTA talks to the nation on Sunday.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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