Bush expects free trade accord with Morocco to be signed shortly

President George W. Bush is expecting to see the free trade accord with Morocco signed the soonest, said Friday the US trade representative, Robert B. Zoellick.

In a statement to reporters upon the Congress approval of the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), authorizing the US president to negotiate trade agreements with other nations, Zoellick said the free trade accord with Morocco would contribute to backing the economic and political reforms initiated by the Kingdom.

The conclusion of such an accord, that 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, is backed by several congressmen, and at their head the speaker of the House of representatives, Dennis Hastert.

"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 said, adding that with TPA, the US will push to complete negotiations regarding the Free Trade Area of the Americas on the same aggressive time frame as the global talks.

"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," said the US trade representative.

"As President Bush has made clear, this vote for TPA was a win for the American people for our economy, and for the world," he said, describing the passage of the new Trade Promotion Authority by the Congress as a landmark victory.