Press Conference inaugurates 2nd People`s Summit of the Americas.

News Article
Edited
16/04/01-Monday
Jonathan Guido
CMAQ
Quebec City
Headline: 2nd Peoples' Summit Inaugurates at Press Conference.

Quebec City— More than 2000 delegates from non-governmental organizations based in 35 countries of the Americas—including Cuba—meet this week at the thematic forums of the People’s Summit to discuss safe and sustainable alternatives to neoliberal globalism.
The Continental Social Alliance, made up of spoke persons from international NGOs, held a press conference this afternoon to inaugurate the 2nd People's Summit of the Americas under the theme "Together, to build solidarity between the Americas" (translated from French: >).
Diana Bronson, of Common Frontiers, said that >.
>, declared Renato Martins, of the Brazilian Network for the Integration of Nations.
In fact, the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) agreement will be negotiated behind closed doors, between Finance ministers, heads of state and corporate representatives, similarly to the way NAFTA was agreed upon. Furthermore, the latter are the only individuals that have access to the drafts of the FTAA agreement proposals and have repeatedly refused any kind of public participation in the negotiations nor in the proposals themselves. Even other public servants and ministries within the state are kept in the dark in relation the FTAA draft. By definition, the state’s behavior is anti-democratic. This lack of transparency and responsibility has caused further public outcry.
In a bid to quell public dissatisfaction, the Canadian minister of international trade, Pierre Pettigrew, said that the FTAA agreement would be made public, although only after the Summit.
Back at the Peoples` Summit inauguration, Bronson argued that >, as is declared in the NAFTA preamble.
Hector de la Cueva, a Mexican spokesperson of the Hemispheric social Alliance, told reporters that >.
>, said de la Cueva. When de la Cueva and many others >, the offer was refused.
Karen Hansen-Kuhn, of the Alliance for Responsible Trade, a U.S.-based NGO, said >.
The corporate sector has direct access to the FTAA talks, via the America’s Business Forum, which neither the general public nor most of the non-mainstream reporters have access to. In exchange for costly sponsor spots, the corporate sector has direct access the heads of state themselves; something that NGOs and ordinary people can’t afford. Once again money talks louder than voices of reason.
The 9-foot-high security perimeter that will isolate the public servants and prevent them from hearing and seeing mass manifestations against the FTAA, as protesters will be too kept far from the buildings used for negotiating, according to de la Cueva.
There are nine thematic Forums dealing with issues such as >, the environment, agriculture, education, human rights, communications, workers rights and the role of the state and there will a parliamentary Forum also.