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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 24, 2000 |
CONTACT: David Willett
202-675-6698 |
Statement of Carl Pope, Sierra Club Executive
Director
Washington, DC: Citing serious environmental concerns, the Sierra
Club today expressed disappointment that the U.S. House of
Representatives narrowly approved permanent normal trade relations
(PNTR) status with China, but vowed to continue the fight for global
fairness.
The following is a statement from Carl Pope, the
Sierra Club's Executive Director:
"This trade agreement fails
to protect workers, their families and the environment. By accepting
permanent normal trade relations, Congress has relinquished what
little leverage it had to ensure that values such as environmental
protection and human rights are part of our relationship with
China."
"By accepting permanent normal trade relations,
Congress has made it more difficult to protect the environment and
human rights. Congress and the Clinton Administration must do more
to ensure global trade is clean, green, and fair."
"Today's
vote in the U.S. House of Representatives was much closer than the
pundits predicted, and we thank the many courageous legislators who
voted for principle over profit."
"This vote does not end the
fight for global fairness. In fact, the coalition of environmental,
labor and consumer groups has emerged from this fight stronger than
ever with broader backing that now includes human rights groups,
small business, faith-based organizations, and veterans
organizations."
The Sierra Club opposed PNTR for three
reasons. Retaining annual review would:
* give the United
States influence with China over the issue of reforms to make the
World Trade Organization more open and transparent, which China has
said it would oppose;
* provide leverage to protect the human
rights of environmentalists in China; and
* provide leverage
to ensure China's compliance with international environmental
agreements, such as those protecting endangered species.
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