São Paulo, August 28, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - A bilateral negotiation between the United States and the Mercosur, in a 4+1 format, to discuss the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), can be put into practice in the next few months, according to the Minister Régis Percy Arstanian, the Brazilian diplomat who represents Brazil in these negotiations. "The door is open" for an encounter.

He explained that the Mercosur made a formal request at a meeting in El Salvador, two months ago. The proposition, denominated the "three paths," envisions a bilateral negotiation, a multilateral negotiation, and a negotiation within the scope of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The last of these negotiations will deal will issues that are considered most complicated, such as rules about trade and services and questions involving subsidies and national government support for agriculture.

"This negotiating model gives us room to make progress in our bilateral negotiations with other countries, besides the United States," Arstanian observed, adding that the proposal "constitutes a good change of course."

He informed that the proposal should be discussed at the next FTAA meeting and should serve as the basis for new discussions about restructuring the negotiations. This is an issue that is already part of the work agenda.

During a meeting of the Brazilian Association of Electric and Electronic Industries (Abinee), which dealt with the question of the FTAA, the Minister also pointed out that the "4+1" proposal "represents a mere continuation of a bilateral procedure suggested by the United States." According to the Minister, this format introduces "balance into the negotiating process and makes it more realistic." (DAS)