President-Elect Barack Obama has named Ron Kirk, former Dallas Mayor, the US trade representative, with the expectation that he would advance Obama’s concerns that trade pacts include environmental and labor protections. It will be a delicate balancing act for Kirk, who is known for his political moderation and evenhandedness.

Kirk, a partner in the Dallas office of Vinson & Elkins law firm, has been a proponent of free trade. The first black to be overwhelmingly elected Dallas Mayor in 1995, he won again by a wide margin in 1999. He resigned in 2001 to run as a Democratic candidate for US Senate, but lost to Republican John Cornyn.

After he introduced the 54-year-old Texan at the news conference in Chicago on Friday, Obama embraced Kirk, a close friend. Kirk acknowledged the appointment, and said: “I am honored and I am humbled.” He added that trade can help develop jobs, at home and abroad, but that there were pitfalls.

In his new post - a high-profile Cabinet position with worldwide responsibilities – Kirk would seek to promote trade both for creating American jobs and encouraging development abroad. He will have to jumpstart the stalled Doha round of world trade talks, and consider the pending trade pacts – like those with Colombia and South Korea - which await approval.

Furthermore, Kirk may have to re-cast some of the deals. As Obama said on Friday, “Ron will help make sure that any agreements I sign as president protect the rights of all workers, promote the interests of all Americans, and preserve the planet we all share.”