Bush administration to proceed on free trade agreement with Morocco, other countries
Morocco-USA, Economics, 8/24/2002

The Bush Administration has voiced its intent to move forward on specific trade agreements with a number of countries including Morocco. US trade representative Robert Zoellick sent on Friday letters to congressional leaders asking the Congress to help facilitate trade negotiations between the US and a number of countries, as a signal of the Bush Administration's "intent to move forward on specific trade agreements," according to a press release issued by the USTR.

Zoellick urged the Congress to act quickly to form the Congressional Oversight Groups required by the Trade Act of 2002. The decision to conclude a Free Trade Accord between Morocco and the US was officially announced by President Bush last April after the talks he held with King Mohammed VI who was then on a work visit to Washington. The accord is backed by several congressmen, and at their head the speaker of the House of Representatives, Dennis Hastert.

President Bush had said lately on the morrow of the Congress approval of the Trade Promotion Authority, authorizing the US president to negotiate trade agreements with other nations, he was expecting to see the free trade accord with Morocco signed the soonest. With TPA, "we will initiate new negotiations for Free Trade Agreements with other nations such as Morocco, as well as in Central America, Australia and in Southern Africa," Zoellick had then said, adding that "with TPA, important amendments to the highly successful African Growth and Opportunity Act will take effect right away, helping to lift families out of poverty in Africa," the US trade representative had said. The US Administration has started negotiations of free trade agreements with Chile and Singapore and is committed to initiate similar negotiations with other countries.

Previous Stories:
  Bush expects free trade accord with Morocco to be signed shortly   (8/5/2002)
  U.S. business community shows growing interest in project Morocco-U.S.. free trade zone   (5/24/2002)
  Morocco - USA free trade agreement negotiations next fall   (5/23/2002)

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