Taft says trade trip exceeded expectations
3/17/2001SANTIAGO, Chile - Governor Taft ended his week-long tour of South America with encouraging words about possible trade between Ohio and the nation of Chile.
Mr. Taft paid President Ricardo Lagos a farewell visit yesterday before leaving Chile's capital of Santiago for home.
President Lagos, a strong advocate of the North American Free Trade Agreement, agreed that going ahead with the US-Chile free-trade agreement is an important matter.
Mr. Lagos assured Mr. Taft that Chile is ready for a trade agreement with Ohio, noting that trade between the two makes up half the gross national product of Chile.
Mr. Taft described the meeting as very productive, and said “the fact that he met with me shows how much importance he attaches to Ohio.”