Ending 4-year battle, Costa Rica approves CAFTA (Lo siento, arcos!)

[Judi Lynn]

Nov 11, 3:55 PM EST

Ending 4-year battle, Costa Rica approves CAFTA

By MARIANELA JIMENEZ
Associated Press Writer

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) -- Costa Rica is finally ready to join the Central American Free Trade Agreement.

The country signed the accord in 2004 along with the rest of Central America, the United States and the Dominican Republic.But its implementation has been stalled for four years by opposition lawmakers.

Costa Ricans voted for the trade deal in a national referendum a year ago, moving it forward. But then it became stalled again as congress squabbled over the enabling legislation dealing with 13 different aspects of the deal.

On Tuesday, lawmakers overcame the final hurdle by approved laws dealing with intellectual property, and President Oscar Arias said his office will quickly finalize the paperwork needed for CAFTA to take effect in Costa Rica on Jan. 1.

"After more than four and a half years of debate, two extensions and one historic referendum in which the majority said they agreed with the free trade accord, we are finally closing this chapter," said his spokesman Rodrigo Arias, the president's brother.

More:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/L/LT_COSTA_RICA_CAFTA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2008-11-11-15-55-00

[Judi Lynn]

1. Hu to visit Costa Rica, first Chinese president in Central America

Hu to visit Costa Rica, first Chinese president in Central America
Posted : Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:06:17 GMT
Author : DPA

San Jose, Costa Rica - Chinese President Hu Jintao is set to visit Costa Rica beginning Sunday, in the first visit by a Chinese leader travels to Central America. "It will be a historic visit," a Costa Rican Foreign Ministry official told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

Central America has traditionally favoured Taiwan, but Costa Rica switched recognition to China in June 2007, after 63 years of ties with Taipei. Only 23 countries recognize Taiwan, and half of them are in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The bilateral agenda between China and Costa Rica includes talks towards a free-trade agreement.

China has granted Costa Rica millions of dollars in financial cooperation, buying bonds from the Central American country and promising to build a modern football stadium in San Jose.

Taiwan has said that it accepts its allies recognizing China if they also maintain diplomatic ties with Taipei. But China, which sees Taiwan as its breakaway province, insists that foreign countries must first cut ties with Taiwan before they can open diplomatic relations with Beijing.

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/241179,hu-to-visit-costa-rica-first-chinese-president-in-central-america.html