Bush Signs CAFTA Treaty
Bush Signs CAFTA Treaty
President Bush yesterday signed the US-Central American Free Trade Agreement, or CAFTA. At the signing ceremony, the President explained that CAFTA is "'more than a trade bill,' stressing possible benefits for US national security in a bid for support from a public worried about jobs leaving the United States," Reuters reports. Flanked by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, "Bush said the agreement will fortify Central American governments economically and politically against 'forces that oppose democracy, seek to limit economic freedom and want to drive a wedge between the United States and the rest of the Americas.'" Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, meanwhile, "said CAFTA's passage was 'important for building momentum' in global trade talks." US Trade Representative Rob Portman called it "a strong signal to the world that the United States is committed to market liberalization."