U.S. Senators moot bill for broad mideast trade preferences

Two U.S. senators Wednesday tabled a bill urging the US administration to explore the idea of a trade preference program for Middle East countries while they are in the region in coming days.

The Bush administration has already set a goal of negotiating a regional free trade pact with Middle East countries by 2013 to help promote peace and prosperity. But Sen. John McCain, an Arizona Republican, and Sen. Max Baucus, a Montana Democrat, said one-way U.S. trade preferences would provide faster help.

McCain and Baucus have proposed a trade preference program for Middle East countries based on those the United States already has with countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. Those programs are aimed to spur economic growth in the participating countries by providing duty-free access for many of the goods they ship to the United States.

Baucus hopes the Congress could agree on a "Greater Mideast" trade preference program by year end.

The Palestinian Authority also could be eligible under the bill that requires countries to support the U.S. war on terrorism and meet other criteria.

Secretary of State Colin Powell and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick will attend a meeting of more than 1,900 business, political, religious, academic and other leaders beginning on Saturday in Amman, Jordan. Discussions about the future of Iraq are expected to dominate.