TAMPA -- Negotiators representing the United States and Panama are meeting behind closed doors here all this week, hoping to hammer out a free trade treaty between the two countries.

The talks represent the fourth round of negotiations between the United States and Panama. Officials from both countries said they're pleased with the pace of progress and that an agreement is not far away, even though it might not be reached by Friday.

“We’re making substantial progress,” said Romel Adames, Panama's vice minister of trade.

“Sometimes it takes six or seven, or even nine rounds” to negotiate a treaty, he said, noting that he's confident the U.S.-Panama agreement can be achieved in six or fewer rounds.

Adames said most remaining issues deal with market access - that is, protecting local jobs and industries while allowing outside companies to compete for business.

The talks are taking place at the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina, the 27-story hotel that overlooks the Garrison Channel.

Local business and government leaders hosted a lunch for the negotiators Monday. During the event, speakers and attendees touted the talks as a positive development for Tampa, saying it should boost the city's profile as a center for international trade, and forge relationships between the two countries that could become invaluable if trade barriers are lifted.

“This is an opportunity for our city to showcase what it’s capable of,” said Juan Vega, president of the Tampa Bay Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Hosting the talks “is a great advantage for Tampa and a great leg up,” he said.

Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio said Tampa is poised to profit from a free trade agreement between the United States and Panama. The Port of Tampa is closer to Panama than any other major port in the country, she said.

Enterprise Florida, the state’s economic development organization, said the total cost of all the goods traded between Florida and Panama last year totaled $741 million. The group also says that trade between the state and Panama rose 21 percent from 2002 to 2003.

Florida’s exports to Panama amounted to $339 million last year, second only to Texas, U.S. Rep. Jim Davis, D-Tampa, said.

A group of about 30 protesters from the Florida Fair Trade Coalition rallied in front of the hotel Monday afternoon, calling on negotiators to open their talks to farmers, union leaders, environmentalists and others who could be affected by a trade agreement.

Treaties “are put forward in secret and generally benefit transnational corporations,” said Eric Rubin, the coalition's state coordinator.

The coalition doesn’t want to block trade, but wants to make trade deals transparent, he said.
“ We support trade. Trade is the basis of human civilization,” he said.