Bush forwards U.S.-Bahrain free trade agreement to Congress

Bush forwards U.S.-Bahrain free trade agreement to Congress    President Bush forwarded legislation to Congress Thursday calling for the ratification of the recently negotiated U.S.-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement.
   The agreement will open Bahrain’s market to U.S. manufactured goods, agricultural products and services.
   “As soon as it enters into force, the agreement will eliminate tariffs on all manufactured goods that the United States sells to Bahrain and immediately remove Bahrain’s import duties on more than 80 percent of U.S. agricultural goods,” Bush said in a statement to Congress.
   Bush also said the Bahrain free trade agreement is another “significant step” towards developing a Middle East Free Trade Area by 2013.