US to examine free trade deal with Australia next week
Reuters, Canberra
US officials will examine details of the free trade deal with Australia next week in a bid to finalise the agreement so it can start as planned on Jan 1, US Ambassador to Australia Tom Schieffer said Thursday.Schieffer said he would return to Washington for talks next week and would discuss the free trade agreement with US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick. "That's one thing that I'll be doing in Washington this next week -- going through and seeing what problems remain," Schieffer told reporters. Close allies the United States and Australia missed a deadline to sign letters of agreement by October 31 in order to confirm laws in each country were consistent with the agreement so that the trade deal could start on Jan 1, 2005. The detailed endorsement of the deal was held up by election campaigns in both nations and final checking. But an Australian official has said the 60-day notice period could be shortened.
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