text 1997 monographic Notes that two years ago the hemisphere's leaders met in Miami and pledged to start creating a regional free trade area by the year 2005. Mexico's peso crash and US politics have slowed the hoped-for entry of Chile into NAFTA, considered a first step toward regional integration. Business leaders hope that the third annual meeting of the hemisphere's trade ministers, hosted by Brazil in mid-May, will provide some needed momentum. DC 3/7/00 M2LMGR