President Bush said his administration is committed to reviving the World Trade Organization (WTO) Doha Round of talks to liberalize global trade. The talks collapsed recently, mainly over differences on farm subsidies.
President Bush said Monday the United States will "do everything it can" to revive the deadlocked W.T.O. Doha Round of global trade talks. He called those discussions, which broke down recently, a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
"Our government is strongly committed to a successful outcome of the Doha round," said Mr. Bush. "These talks are important talks. They have a chance to break down trade barriers around the world. They have a chance to expand the flow of commerce, which is what we want. They have a chance to create new growth not only here but elsewhere, and they have a chance to help lift millions of people out of poverty around the world."
The stalled Doha discussions aimed to lower trade barriers across all sectors. They would allow developing countries to export more products, while opening their markets to more goods and services from advanced countries.
Mr. Bush delivered his remarks in support of free trade at the U.S. Coast Guard command center in Miami Beach, Florida. His backdrop: Florida's massive Port of Miami.
"The port is known as the gateway to America for a reason: Because international trade is one of the key reasons why Miami prospers," said the president. "America is home to five percent of the world's population. That means 95 percent of the world's population are potential customers."
The President also discussed homeland security and immigration issues, then toured the port facilities before heading back to Washington.