Chile , Mexico to seek to broaden trade deal .
SANTIAGO 1996-12-05
Chile and Mexico will start negotiations next year to broaden their free trade agreement to include services and investments , Finance Minister Eduardo Aninat said .
Chile hopes to broaden the treaty signed in 1994 beyond reduction of tariffs on imports and exports and add provisions covering services and investment codes , said Aninat .
Both areas tend to more laden with friction in free trade negotiations than tariff reduction .
' ' In January or February , we 'll have some very close contacts with Mexico to add the issue of services and advance on the issue of investments , ' ' Aninat told reporters after signing a free trade deal with Canada .
' ' We want to give the treaty between Mexico and Chile greater depth and coverage than it has now .
It 's very good now , but it practically only covers trade in goods , ' ' he said .
Aninat also said he was confident the Chilean Congress would ratify the treaty with Congress quickly .
' ' The reactions from business and unions which I have seen have been almost unanimously positive , so I do n't see any problem , ' ' he said .
-- Roger Atwood , Santiago newsroom +56-2-699-5595 x211