US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said negotiations for a US-Morocco Free Trade Agreement are on track for completion by the end of January, according to Washington File.
Armitage made this remark following his January 9 meeting in Washington with Moroccan Prime Minister Driss Jettou.
Free trade negotiations between Morocco and the United States broke down last month over disagreements on access to US wheat, beef and poultry. Both sides hoped to finalize a free trade agreement (FTA) by the year’s end.
The United States seeks to liberalize trade with Morocco through multilateral, regional and bilateral initiatives. Negotiations commenced in January 2003 in Washington, DC.
Three subsequent rounds have yielded significant progress toward a comprehensive agreement that will cover non-agricultural and agricultural goods and government procurement, liberalize services and strengthen investment, intellectual property rights, labor and environmental protections. — (menareport.com)
© 2004 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
