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| Bush Scores Quiet Victory: CAFTA Now 5 for 6 |
| 2005-09-07 |
| The Dominican Republic passed the Central American Free Trade Agreement Tuesday with an overwhelming margin, the U.S. trade office said. The Dominican Republic became the fifth country to vote favorably for the trade pact joining El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and the United States. The trade pact approved by the United States late July, aims to expand trade with six Latin American countries including Costa Rica. "CAFTA-DR offers more than free trade," said Rob Portman, U.S. Trade Representative. "It offers new hope for easing poverty, fostering development, and strengthening democracy. It is about strengthening the rule of law and improving transparency to counter corruption." "This agreement levels the playing field for American workers, farmers and businesses, expands choices for consumers and strengthens democracies in our neighborhood," added Portman. Portman explained that the United States would be coordinating with the five other CAFTA countries over the next several weeks to determine when to put the agreement into effect. |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |