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Abstract
The pursuit of free trade area agreements (FTAs), according to some, does not
impede the multilateral trade negotiations process. It is argued to the contrary in the
present paper that the FTA approach does impede the multilateral one. Comments
are offered on common approaches to the analysis of the impact of FTAs, on the
reasons why, despite concerns evident in these comments, the FTA strategy has
become so popular, and on ways out of a dilemma of FTA proliferation, or at least
ways to avoid the risks associated with it.