Clinton Urged To Act On IPP In Argentina

Ahead of US President Bill Clinton's trip to South America, SenateForeign Relations Committee Chairman Jesse Helms and House International Relations Committee Chairman Benjamin Gilman have told him that he could further the "fast track" trade negotiating authority he seeks by using the trip to insist that the interests of US companies are protected and advanced.

Among the points they said he should press is ensuring intellectual property rights, especially for drugs in Argentina.

The two foreign policy panel heads urged Argentinian President Carlos Menem to take steps to show his commitment to protection for US intellectual property. Fast-track authority would mean that trade deals negotiated by the President could not be changed by Congress, but only approved or disapproved; Mr Clinton wants to use it to expand the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada to include Chile.