MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Dominican Republic and US conclude Free Trade agreement

The Dominican Republic and the United States successfully concluded this weekend negotiations for a free trade agreement after having overcome some pending details in agriculture, textiles and intellectual property.

US Agriculture negotiator admitted that "as usual some farm details demanded an additional effort".

The agreement reached with the Dominican Republic is part of the accord already existent with El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala.

Following the reluctance of South American countries led by Brazil to reach a multilateral agreement in the framework of the Free Trade Association of the Americas, United States has opted for a bilateral strategy that includes Central America, several Caribbean countries and from South America such as Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia.

United States already has free trade agreements with Mexico and Canada, the North America Free Trade Agreement, and since last year with Chile.