U.S. Signs Free Trade Deal With Morocco

[CShine]

WASHINGTON - The United States signed a free trade agreement with Morocco on Tuesday as President Bush notified Congress of his intentions to sign a free trade deal with Bahrain. The administration sees both agreements, which must be approved by Congress to go into effect, as building blocks in President Bush's efforts to promote democracy and economic reforms throughout the Middle East.

"Step by step, the administration is building bridges of free trade with economic and social reformers in the Middle East," U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick said during a signing ceremony with Taib Fassi-Fihri, Morocco's minister-delegate of foreign affairs and cooperation.

Separately, Bush notified Congress of his intention to sign a free trade agreement with Bahrain, a country tucked between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, another small Gulf state. Under U.S. trade law, the president's notification to Congress starts a 90-day waiting period to give lawmakers a time to consult with the administration over the proposed trade agreement. After that time, Bush can sign the trade deal and send it to Congress for approval under fast-track procedures that allow for an up-or-down vote without amendments.

Supporters of the administration's push for free trade agreements hope that the Morocco agreement and an Australian free trade deal, which was signed earlier this year, can both be voted on by Congress this year. The administration has also completed negotiations on a more controversial Central American Free Trade Agreement with five nations in that region and the Caribbean island nation of the Dominican Republic. However, the administration has not said whether it will push for a vote on CAFTA this year because of heavy opposition from Democrats, including presidential challenger John Kerry (news - web sites), who contend that the agreement lacks sufficient safeguards to protect American workers from seeing their jobs shipped to countries with lower wages and less stringent enforcement of environmental regulations.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=544&ncid=703&e=6&u=/ap/20040615/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_bahrain

[Massacure]

1. Damn you, Bush!

Just one more country to oursource to eh? One more among how many others already?

[0007]

2. Morocco produces beautiful hookahs (water pipe)

.....and, sand could be used for aquariums.

[arcos]

4. and good hash...

:smoke:

[the Kelly Gang]

3. oh oh..what's Morocco got that Bush wants?

[Mithras61]

5. That's easy!

His opium pipe is broke from using it to smoke all that success coming out of Afghanistan, and he needs a new one!

[robcon]

6. Continued good news.

The free trade zone is expanding, and the U.S. and the world benefits from the treaties.

[Carolab]

7. NO, it's the oil (again)

Kerr-McGee has set up contracts with Morocco, which the Western Saharans see as "illegal" and that is why Baker gave up his "special envoy" status in Western Sahara (that, and he is needed at home to secure the Bush domestic agenda). Now, they hope, the Western Saharans will declare war against the Moroccans, and the Western Saharans will be treated as "terrorists". BTW, James Baker holds a heavy interest in Kerr-McGee.

[bearfan454]

8. The labor there must be cheaper than China

I hate bush