35 



sultation all by itself is insufficient. Consultation does not provide 

 the level of confidence that people need that they have been given 

 an opportunity to present their case. It just doesn't do it. It is my 

 very strong feeling that part of the problem we are having right 

 now is people just don't trust the agreement because it was not ne- 

 gotiated in an open manner. 



Very closely related to that, it seems to me that if you and I are 

 negotiating, you own a piece of property and I am trying to buy it, 

 and I know that you are in a hurry to sell — let's say that it is Sep- 

 tember, and I know that you have got to close the deal by Novem- 

 ber, it seems to me that you are going to be in a position of weak- 

 ness. I would just observe that that is also part of the reason that 

 people don't trust that we got the best that we could have because 

 they saw some time constraints on our part. 



I just say that as my own observation, and it is apt to be that 

 those sorts of artificial things are going to be there in the future. 

 I think the more that we can avoid them, the better. I am not try- 

 ing to take a shot at President Bush or Ambassador Hills, because 

 I think they worked in good faith. But when the perception is that 

 we were anxious to close the deal, it creates misgivings that aren't 

 based on fact, but they are based upon common sense, and that 

 causes, it seems to me, a lot of distrust. 



As somebody who leans in support of NAFTA and concedes to 

 you all the arguments that you made earlier on this treaty, I still 

 continue to be frustrated trying to work out this one specific prob- 

 lem having to do with sugar insofar as it appears that there is an 

 opportunity for substitution of high fructose corn sweeteners. I 

 would ask you if it is an appropriate thing to do or a constructive 

 thing to do, either one, to invite either Minister Serra and/or Min- 

 ister Aspe to come to Washington, to come to the United States and 

 visit with us, particularly those of us who have sugar growers in 

 our area, that have concerns about the substitution question, have 

 concerns about Mexico moving from importer to exporter status 

 rather quickly. 



My conversations with both of those individuals, I must say, al- 

 layed a great deal of the fears that I have. But, again, based on 

 what I said earlier, what I have to do is turn around and represent 

 to people whose lives, economic lives, depend on this issue, I have 

 to represent to them that I think we have received pretty good as- 

 surances here. It would be an awful lot better, it seems to me, and 

 more constructive — and I know some guys in the House are very 

 concerned about this as well — to perhaps invite Minister Serra and 

 Minister Aspe, either one of them or both, up here. I know you 

 have had conversations with both of them. I am just inquiring 

 whether or not you think it would be constructive for us to invite 

 them to come up and meet with Members of Congress in an open 

 fashion so that people whose economic livelihoods are at stake here 

 could hear what resolution may occur. 



Ambassador Kantor. Let me suggest, hopefully delicately, that 

 I would welcome any entreaties that might be made to my good 

 friend, Minister Serra Puche, with regard to this issue. We have 

 talked about it as late as Friday in person. It is an important issue, 

 and we certainly understand that in the administration and appre- 

 ciate your remarks. 



