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U.S. Trade Bill Could Hurt Philippine Tuna Industry
Wednesday, July 31, 2002
By Keith Bradsher
The New York Times

President Arroyo warned in an interview in May that such trade preferences could devastate her country's tuna industry in the southern Philippines and lead to thousands of layoffs that might invigorate the Abu Sayyaf guerrillas, which American troops have been helping to fight. About 1,000 American soldiers concluded exercises in the southern Philippines today, and more exercises are planned.

HONG KONG -- NYT
A last-minute compromise by Congress on tuna tariffs has done little to appease officials in the Philippines, who are likely to protest to Secretary of State Colin L. Powell when he visits Manila this weekend.

Although the broad trade bill emerging from Congress is less threatening to the Philippine tuna industry than earlier House and Senate bills, Philippine officials are still concerned that the legislation could hurt their country's huge tuna industry, which is based in the troubled province of Mindanao.

"I'm disappointed that this is the outcome," Trade Minister Manuel A. Roxas II said today in a telephone interview. "We had hoped there would be greater sensitivity to the situation the Philippines finds itself in as one of the most vocal, vigorous allies in the war against terrorism."

Mr. Roxas said he had recommended to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo that the issue be raised with Secretary Powell this weekend. But in the United States, Congress, not the administration, controls tariff policy.
(More: The New York Times News Source)
2002 © The New York Times Company.

Dan