战略与国际研究中心-The-North-American-Summit_1页_147kb

CRITICAL QUESTIONS: The North American Summit Summary

Core Content

The document discusses the purpose, significance, and expected outcomes of a trilateral summit between the leaders of the United States, Mexico, and Canada held in New Orleans on April 21-22, 2008. The summit is part of the ongoing Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP), which was established in March 2005 to promote security and prosperity through cooperation on various issues.

Main Points

• Purpose of the Summit:
  The summit aims to review the progress made under the SPP initiative and provide direction for future initiatives. The SPP is designed to address a wide range of issues including travel and transportation security, public health, food safety, infrastructure protection, trade facilitation, energy, the environment, and competitiveness.

• Structure of SPP:
  The SPP includes trilateral working groups and a North American Competitiveness Council composed of senior private-sector representatives from the three countries. This council was established in 2006 to develop recommendations on competitiveness-related issues.

• Importance of the Meeting:
  The meeting is significant due to the strategic importance of the U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico relationships. Canada is the U.S.'s largest trade partner, while Mexico is its third-largest. Both are major suppliers of oil to the U.S. The summit also highlights the importance of NAFTA, the largest trading relationship in the world, which was signed in 1994. The SPP provides a framework for coordinated efforts on key regional and global issues.

• Expected Outcomes:
  The summit is unlikely to produce any major new initiatives. Instead, it is expected to focus on reinforcing existing cooperation and emphasizing the importance of NAFTA amid political criticism from Democratic candidates in the U.S. presidential primary race. The leaders may also express support for other regional trade agreements, such as the U.S.-Colombia trade agreement.

Key Information

• Participants:
  President George W. Bush (U.S.), President Felipe Calderón (Mexico), and Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Canada).

• Date and Location:
  April 21-22, 2008, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

• SPP Overview:

  • Launched in March 2005
  • Focuses on security and prosperity through trilateral cooperation
  • Addresses issues such as travel security, public health, food safety, and trade facilitation

• NAFTA Context:

  • Signed in 1994
  • Largest trading relationship in the world
  • Under scrutiny from U.S. Democratic candidates during the 2008 primary race

• Author and Publisher:

  • The document is authored by Peter DeShazo, who directs the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C.
  • CSIS is a private, tax-exempt institution that produces nonpartisan and nonproprietary research on international public policy issues.

Conclusion

The summit is a strategic event aimed at reinforcing the trilateral partnership and the importance of NAFTA in the context of regional and global economic and security challenges. It is expected to focus on progress review and policy reinforcement rather than introducing groundbreaking new initiatives.