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STATEMENT OF MICKEY KANTOR, UNITED STATES TRADE 

 REPRESENTATIVE, OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE 

 REPRESENTATIVE 



Ambassador Kantor. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I ap- 

 preciate your courtesies. I have enjoyed our private meetings and 

 I enjoyed our executive session this morning. 



I learn as I go from this committee, as well as other of your col- 

 leagues in both bodies, and I look forward to this relationship as 

 I try to be your lawyer, as well as the President's lawyer, as we 

 pursue these trade matters. 



The Chairman. On this great day for the world, we welcome 

 you — on St. Patrick's Day. We have the wearing of the green. 



I had an Irish great-grandmother, so there's a wee bit of Ireland 

 in me. 



About this much. 



Thank you very much, Mr. Ambassador. Do you have a state- 

 ment? You may proceed as you see fit. 



Ambassador Kantor. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I 

 will submit my entire statement for the record and then pick out 

 selected portions, if you don't mind. 



The Chairman. Your entire statement will appear in the record 

 as if delivered, and then you may proceed as you feel most com- 

 fortable. 



Ambassador Kantor. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank you in par- 

 ticular for your suggestions for a North American Commission on 

 the Environment and subcommissions to address specific transport 

 environmental problems. I appreciate your work on the complex 

 problems facing the United States-Mexico border area and the Gulf 

 of Mexico, which has sometimes been forgotten, as you know, Mr. 

 Chairman, in this. 



I know that we will have many opportunities to work together 

 on these issues in the months ahead to find creative solutions, in- 

 cluding dealing with the Good Neighbor Environmental Board, of 

 which I know you were the author. 



This morning I would like to place the NAFTA and the Uruguay 

 Round in the broader context of the President's vision of economic 

 growth, and also be available for any other questions about bilat- 

 eral or other treaties or obligations or concerns that you or your 

 members might have. 



Our prosperity and that of our children depend on our ability to 

 compete and win in a global market. Where trade policy is con- 

 cerned, the United States will continue to champion open markets 

 and expanded trade, but we will insist that the markets of other 

 nations be open to our products and services, especially U.S. farm 

 exports. 



I would just note at this point, as all of you know, that fully 10 

 percent of our exports, $42 billion in 1992, 30 percent of our agri- 

 cultural production, was exported. It is a net winner for this coun- 

 try and therefore critical as we try to balance our exports and im- 

 ports which, as you know, have not been in balance over the last 

 12 to 13 years. 



We see our prosperity bound up with the prosperity of our trad- 

 ing partners, especially Canada, Europe, Japan, and Mexico. We 

 will work with them to promote global growth, aid the development 



