File spoon-archives/marxism-news.archive/marxism-news_1998/marxism-news.9802, message 10


Date: Wed, 4 Feb 1998 19:57:24 -0800 (PST)
From: Tom Condit <tomcondit-AT-igc.apc.org>
Subject: M-NEWS: US: Nat'l MAI alert


From: Julietbeck-AT-aol.com (by way of Michael Eisenscher
<meisenscher-AT-igc.apc.org>)
Subject: MAI: NATIONAL FIELD ALERT

[PLEASE CIRCULATE TO ACTIVISTS AND ORGANIZATIONS NATIONALLY]

Mark your calendars for a week from today, Tuesday, 2/10 ..............

Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI)
 FIELD ACTION ALERT!

The time to derail the MAI negotiations is NOW!

* Currently the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (the
OECD, the rich countries' club where the secretive MAI is being negotiated) 
is
frantically attempting to meet their unrealistic April deadline to complete
the politically troubled MAI.

*  At a high level meeting in Paris next month, the OECD member countries
will reconsider the April deadline, and take-up the possibility of
abandoning the MAI altogether.

*  Help us send a message to the Clinton Administration that the MAI is a
bad deal for America and that the US should withdraw from negotiations
immediately!

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10th NATIONAL ALL-CALL DAY TO SENATE

On February 10th, call both your Senators' district or DC offices, and ask
for their "trade staff."   Introduce yourself, express your concerns about
the MAI and say something like this:

[I am concerned that the Clinton Administration is rushing into the MAI, a
dangerous new investment treaty that will expand NAFTA-like investment rules
globally. I would like Senator [insert name] to call the White House and the
US State Department to urge the Clinton Administration to immediately
withdraw from MAI negotiations. The agreement does not serve the best
interests of Americans and must be abandoned.]

Here are some talking points:
*  The MAI undermines state and local sovereignty by restricting
governments' ability to regulate foreign investment and corporate
accountability.

* Negotiations should not have reached such an advanced stage without public
knowledge or participation.

*  The MAI lacks protections for the environment, labor and human rights.

  ****** Extra Credit! ******

Contact a US MAI negotiator directly! 
Before Jeffrey Lang leaves for Paris this week, tell him you want the US to 
withdraw from MAI negotiations immediately!!
Jeffrey Lang, Deputy Trade Representative at the USTR phone: (202) 395-5114
fax: (202)395-4549
jlang-AT-ustr.gov

   For further info: Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch (202)546-4996



****************************************************************************
 /s/ Mike Dolan, Field Director, Global Trade Watch, Public Citizen

Join the Global Trade Watch list server.  We will keep you up to date on 
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TW-LIST" [followed by your name, your organizational affiliation and the 
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Our web-site is also interesting --->  
www.citizen.org/pctrade/tradehome/html

                       WE EDUCATE PEOPLE IN ORDER TO ORGANIZE THEM.
                       WE DON'T ORGANIZE PEOPLE IN ORDER TO EDUCATE THEM.
                                                      Fred Ross, Sr.






   

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