"An ambitious trade pact being negotiated among Pacific Rim nations so far fails to properly protect endangered species and could undermine existing safeguards for the environment, environmental groups said on Wednesday."

"Documents released by the whistle-blowing group WikiLeaks show countries negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) did not plan to sanction trading partners who break environmental promises - an issue that has caused a rift between the United States and others in the bloc and is an obstacle to finalizing the deal.

The TPP would cover almost 40 percent of the global economy and create a free trade zone reaching from North America to Japan and New Zealand, and the United States is keen to wrap up talks in the coming months."

Krista Hughes reports for Reuters January 15, 2014. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"WikiLeaks Exposes What Obama's Secret Trade Deal Would Do To The Environment" (Huffington Post) [3]

"Green Groups Fear US U-Turn on Pacific Trade Deal Vows" (Financial Times) [4]