FED: Focus on trade now impeachment trial is over: Fischer

AAP General News (Australia)
02-13-1999
FED: Focus on trade now impeachment trial is over: Fischer

CANBERRA, Feb 13 AAP - The United States and Australia could focus on a sweeping and fair
trade agenda now the impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton was out of the way, Deputy
Prime Minister and Trade Minister Tim Fischer said today.

President Clinton has been acquitted of two charges of perjury and obstruction of justice
arising from his affair with Monica Lewinsky.

Mr Fischer said the processes of US democracy in relation to impeachment had been completed
and he noted the call by President Clinton to move on.

"This year 1999 the USA is scheduled to host the third World Trade Organisation (WTO)
Ministerial in November in Seattle," Mr Fischer told AAP.

"Last month Mr Clinton briefly mentioned the need for a new round of world trade
negotiations.

"It is a case of all hands on deck to secure a millennium round of trade negotiations."

Mr Fischer said Australia would continue to pursue fair trade outcomes in relation to prime
lamb and Howe Leather and other bilateral issues.

In the Howe Leather case, still before the WTO, the US complained that subsidies paid to
Australian manufacturers of leather upholstery for cars discriminated against US companies.

"Washington must now move forward to focus on the trade issues and in a few weeks' time I
will go to Washington to meet my counterpart (Charlene Barshefsky) and pursue fair and
sweeping negotiations," Mr Fischer said.

AAP fh/cjh

KEYWORD: TRADE FISCHER

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