
(LIP-wb) -- U.S. Senate Minority Leader Harry Read (D-Nevada) said today there is virtually no chance that U.S. Congress will vote on individual Free Trade agreements (FTA / TLC) with Colombia and Peru before year's end.
“No, Congress will not decide on these subjects this year”, responded Reid in a press conference with Hispanic media representatives after being questioned about the possibility that Congress approves both treaties before the end of 2006.
Andean countries have therefore requested to temporarily extend the current agreement (ATPDEA), which regulates favorable export tariffs between the Andean Community and the United States, until Congress votes on the Free Trade pacts.
U.S. Congress has entered another recess period last Friday and will only hold brief sessions before and after the elections on November 7th. New legislature will begin early 2007.