LONDON -- In the last few weeks the U.S. Congress has approved free-trade agreements with Chile and Singapore and has approved the opening of talks on FTAs with Bahrain and the Dominican Republic.

The United States already has FTAs with Canada, Mexico, Israel and Jordan. It is also at varying stages of negotiation with the whole of South and Central America, the five members of the Southern Africa Customs Union and Australia.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick has also offered to negotiate FTAs with the six members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations that are also members of the World Trade Organization.