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Leaders to build huge free trade zone

Last Updated: Friday, November 13, 1998 | 11:21 PM ET

CBC News
Prime Minister Jean Chretien is in Santiago, Chile this weekend. He's among 34 leaders taking part in an historic round of discussions to create the world's largest free trade zone.

The Summit of the Americas hopes to have the zone in place in just eight years. It will span almost 1 billion consumers and a group of economies that add up to $10 trillion.

U.S. President Bill Clinton is pushing for this trade deal, but the Congress has not backed his initiatives. In fact, he hasn't been able to get Congress to back the latest proposals for a North American Free Trade Agreement between the U.S., Mexico and Canada. He promised today to get this new trade deal on "the fast track."

The only country in the hemisphere to be excluded from the free trade deal is Cuba. On Saturday it was revealed that Chretien will visit Cuba April 27 and 28. It's the first visit of a Canadian prime minister to the communist island in more than 20 years.

Former Prime Minster Pierre Trudeau was there in 1976. Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy was there last year.

It's expected that the Summit of the Americas' next meeting will be in four years. That event will be held in Canada.

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