Obama fights for Asia trade deal with relevance hanging in the balance

The Washington Times quotes CEI`s Fran Smith on the TTP negotiations:

Some analysts say the administration’s stature on the world stage is hanging in the balance. Negotiations on sticking points of the sprawling Trans-Pacific Partnership, a proposed free trade pact with 11 other Pacific Rim nations including Japan and Australia, have slowed while the potential trading partners wait to see whether Mr. Obama will have the authority to conclude the agreement without major changes by Congress.

“If TPA stays in limbo, it means that ongoing trade negotiations will become much more difficult,” said Frances B. Smith, an analyst on trade issues at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. “How can countries negotiate in good faith with the U.S. when they know the specifics of their agreements can be pulled apart and dealt with separately rather than as a whole?”