Bush tells Congress will sign Colombia trade pact

WASHINGTON, Aug 25: President George W Bush has notified Congress the United States will sign a free trade agreement with Colombia after the Andean country agreed to open its market to US beef, which many countries still consider too risky.

''The United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement will generate export opportunities for US farmers, ranchers and companies, help create jobs in the United States and help American consumers save money while offering them more choices,'' Bush yesterday said in a letter to congressional leaders while on vacation at his parents' home in Kennebunkport, Maine.

Bush said the pact would also strengthen democracy and spread prosperity in Colombia. Bogota already receives billions of dollar in US aid to fight leftist insurgents linked to the Andean country's cocaine trade.

The pact is expected to receive stiff opposition from US labor groups, who estimate some 200 unionists where killed in Colombia in 2004, making it what they call the ''most dangerous country in the world'' for workers to form unions.

The United States and Colombia announced in late February they had reached a free trade accord, but have continued to thrash out a number of agricultural issues.

One of the biggest concerned Colombian barriers to US beef, imposed after the first case of mad cow disease was found in the United States in December 2003.

Many countries have reopened their market to US beef, but as a precaution restrict imports to boneless beef from cattle less than 30 months of age. Leading members of Congress have pushed the Bush administration to insist potential free trade partners agree to a fuller reopening.

Kristin Scuderi, a spokeswoman for the US Agriculture Department, said the United States was able to reach an acceptable agreement with Colombia on that point.

''Colombia will permit entry of all beef and beef products from the United States, including bone-in and boneless and offals, regardless of the age of the animal, provided the most high-risk material is removed ... and the products are accompanied by a sanitary certificate from US food and safety authorities,'' Scuderi said.

US trade law requires Bush to notify Congress 90 days before signing any trade agreement. The earliest the two countries could sign the pact is late November, or a few weeks after the upcoming US congressional elections.

That would set the stage for lawmakers to vote on the agreement in first half of next year.

Congress could vote soon on a free trade agreement with Colombia's neighbor Peru, but Republicans leaders may decide to wait until after the November elections. Many Democrats oppose both pacts, saying labor provisions aren't strong enough.

Colombia, Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador currently have duty-free access to the United States for most of their exports, but those benefits expire at the end of the year.

The trade pacts permanently lock in those benefits for Colombia and Peru, while phasing out barriers to US exports.

Key US lawmaker have been opposed to extending benefits for Bolivia and Ecuador without a free trade pact.

REUTERS