The United States on Sunday welcomed Canada and Mexico’s willingness to join negotiations on a Pacific free trade accord.

"The United States welcomes the interest of Canada and Mexico, our neighbors and largest export markets, in seeking to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership talks," U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said in a statement.

"We look forward to initiating consultations with them and with Congress and our domestic stakeholders and to discussing the TPP’s high standards for liberalizing trade and specific issues of concern to the United States," he added.

The two Pacific Rim countries expressed their intention to join the TPP talks after Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda had announced Friday Japan’s decision to participate in the negotiations.

U.S. President Barack Obama welcomed Canada’s decision to join the Pacific market-opening talks in a meeting Sunday with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Hawaii.

"Together with Japan’s and Mexico’s similar announcements, Canada’s desire to consult with TPP partners demonstrates the broadening momentum and dynamism of this ambitious effort toward economic integration across the Pacific," the White House said in a statement.

November 14, 2011

Source: Mainichi Japan

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