Summary of Proceeding of the Western Hemisphere Trade & Commerce Forum (1995)

Summary of Proceedings

Westem Hemisphere

Trade & Commerce Forum

Denver, Colorado

July 1-2, 1995

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

THE WHITE HOUSEWASHINGTON

September 14, 1995

In December 1994 the leaders of the Western Hemisphere came together in Miami to seize an historic opportunity. We joined together to build a community of nations committed to the values of liberty and the promise of prosperity. The many achievements of the Summit of the Americas included agreement on principles to help open new markets and to create a free trade area throughout our hemisphere.

The June 1995 Western Hemisphere Trade and Commerce Forum advanced the vision of the Summit by bringing together the best of the hemisphere's business, academic and government leaders. These men and women from throughout the region identified challenges to improve commercial ties and discussed ways to overcome those hurdles. They endorsed the free trade goals set forth at the Summit of the Americas and committed themselves to the hard work necessary to achieve success.

I applaud Secretary of Commerce Ronald H. Brown and United States Trade Representative Ambassador Michael Kantor for their achievement in organizing this dynamic event. The Western Hemisphere Trade and Commerce Forum represents a significant step toward making our region's marketplace more vibrant and open. It moves us closer to the day when our regional partnership will make freedom, opportunity and prosperity the common property of all the people of the Americas.