Veneman, Zoellick Off to Uruguay

August 31, 2001

Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman and U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick will travel to Punta del Este, Uruguay, next week for the 22nd Cairns Group Ministerial meeting. They will address the Cairns Group ministers on Tuesday to discuss trade policy priorities for the November World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial conference to be held in Doha, Qatar.

They also will hold bilateral meetings with ministers of some of the countries attending the Cairns Group meeting. The Cairns Group was a close ally during the Uruguay Round negotiations that led to the historic Uruguay Round Agriculture Agreement.

"Ambassador Zoellick and I are committed to making agriculture a top priority in future trade agreement negotiations," said Veneman. "Our participation at the Cairns Group signals our strong support for a successful launch of a new trade round that will lead to the expansion of new markets and new opportunities for American farmers and ranchers."

The Cairns Group is a coalition of 18 agricultural exporting nations: Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Fiji, Guatemala, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Paraguay, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, and Uruguay that seek market-oriented policies in agriculture and more open trade.