Bahrain-US free trade pact to be signed in Washington
Gulf Daily News, Bahrain
9 September 2004
Bahrain-US free trade pact to be signed in Washington
By SOMAN BABY
MANAMA: Bahrain is finalising preparations for signing the historic Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States next week. Finance and National Economy Minister Abdulla Saif is expected to formally sign the agreement in Washington, DC with US Trade Representative Robert B Zoellick on Tuesday.
Mr Saif will also host a luncheon in celebration of the US-Bahrain FTA at the New York Palace Hotel on Madison Avenue in New York on September 22.
With the signing, a new era of business partnership between the two countries would begin, said Bahrain’s Economic Representative to the US, Dr Naser Al Belooshi.
"Much hard work has gone into making this agreement a reality," he told the GDN.
"In Bahrain we are extremely pleased to be part of such an historic effort."
The theme of the luncheon celebration in New York will be Bahrain: Gateway to the Gulf.
The dignitaries invited to speak that day are distinguished by a remarkable breadth of leadership, said Dr Al Belooshi.
The Bahrain-US FTA talks started in January this year, when a 30-member delegation of US government negotiators, headed by Assistant US Trade Representative Catherine Novelli, arrived in Bahrain for the first round of negotiations.
It was followed by several rounds of negotiations.
The formal agreement will be sent to the US Congress after the signing ceremony for ratification.
When finally approved, Bahrain will become the third Arab country after Jordan and Morocco which has an FTA with the US.
