President Bush will sign the U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement today at 13:30, the fifth such extensive trade pact with a Middle Eastern country since he took office, a spokeswoman said Monday. The FTA with Oman is part of an effort by Washington to create a Middle East Free Trade Area (MEFTA) by 2013, building on existing agreements with Israel, Jordan, Morocco and Bahrain.
Bush has said he wants greater trade not just for commercial benefits to U.S. companies but for the political openness he believes could result in one of the world's most restive regions. Critics led by Democratic opponents in Congress have argued the Oman trade pact would erode labor rights both in the U.S. and in other countries.
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