Political Quotes

“This would require us to negotiate 147 environmental agreements around the world before any of the provisions of the African bill or the Caribbean Basin Initiative or the tariff preferences under the Generalized System of Preferences can be extended. NAFTA was a relatively simple three-party negotiation. We have very few differences with Canada, and such as we had with Mexico were worked out. In so many of the countries we are talking about in sub-Saharan Africa, the nation, the area, is an environmental disaster. That is why we are trying to develop some trade, some economic influx--trade not aid. We would not do it. What would be your standard for the Sudan? What would be your standard for parts of the Congo? What would you know about the country with which you are negotiating? These are terribly distressed regions. We have had three decades of declining income, of rising chaos. The best hopes are the countries that want this agreement. We are not going to leave environment behind, but we should move ahead on this measure.”