Friday, December 7, 2007
by: Kathy Coyle

The New Jersey District Export Council and The Joseph A. Unanue Latino Institute of Seton Hall University will host a a fall plenary session on “Free Trade Agreements in Latin America-Opening New Doors to Business,” with keynote speaker Walter M. Bastian, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for the Western Hemisphere. This event will take place on December 10, 2007 from 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. in the University Center’s Main Lounge, at Seton Hall University's South Orange campus.
   
Walter M. Bastian will present on the current status of bills before the House of Representatives on the establishment of free trade agreements in Latin America including Peru, Columbia, and Panama. As Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce, Bastian is responsible for developing programs, polices and strategies designed to strengthen the United States commercial position in the Western Hemisphere. Bastian also headed the Office of Latin America and the Caribbean and established and directed the Latin America/Caribbean Business Development Center.

Leslie M. Schweitzer, Senior Trade Advisor for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce will also be presenting on the relevance of the free trade agreements to the businsess community. Dr. Jesse Russell of the John Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations will discuss the international and domestic trade-offs involved in free trade agreements with Latin America.
The District Export Council contributes leadership and international trade expertise to complement the U.S. Commercial Service’s export promotion efforts.

For more information please contact:
Kathy Coyle
(973) 378-2647
coylekat@shu.edu