President Mejia returned the control over all trade agreement negotiations to the Ministry of Foreign Relations. The trade agreements will again be handled by the National Commission of Trade Negotiations (CNNC), that is under the Ministry of Foreign Relations since its creation to this effect in 1996. Santiago Tejada, in charge of CNNC, said that the President understood that the CNNC was a more appropriate body for the trade negotiations as it brings together all government and private sectors that deal with trade matters. President Mejia had given the Ministry of Industry and Commerce authority over Free Trade Agreement of the Americas trade negotiations. Minister Angel Lockward was also interfering with other trade negotiations previously handled by Foreign Relations. The presidential decision puts an end to the dispute over this matter between the ministries of Foreign Relations and Industry and Commerce.
