Pro-traders want Bush to focus on Asia

The Bush administration faced pressure from pro-trade Democrats on Wednesday to begin free-trade talks with more countries around the world.

"What we continue to hear is the need for a real focus on some of the larger markets in Asia, such as Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand and other ASEAN countries," the Democrats said.

In a letter to US Trade Rep-resentative Robert Zoellick, the lawmakers also urged the Bush administration to look at "significant markets in other regions, such as Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Egypt."

It was signed by Senator Max Baucus, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, and Representatives Cal Dooley, John Tanner and William Jefferson.

Since winning enhanced trade negotiating authority from Con-gress last year, the Bush administration has started free-trade talks with Australia, Morocco, five Central American countries and five southern African countries.

The administration plans to open talks with Bahrain next year as part of its proposal for a Mideast free-trade agreement by 2013. The biggest US trading partner on the current negotiating list is Australia, which ranked 19th last year in two-way trade with the US.

Some of the countries on the Democrats' wish list are already in the line for free-trade negotiations.