WASHINGTON, September 10, 2005 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – While the US managed to secure a Saudi pledge to ease boycott of Israel in swap for a helping the kingdom join the World Trade Organization (WTO), the main Jewish lobby in America said the move did not live up to its expectations.
Riyadh has promised, as part of a bilateral agreement signed with Washington on Friday, September 9, not to enforce aspects of the Arab League boycott of Israel that apply to US firms doing business with Israel, US Trade Representative Rob Portman said in a statement posted on his Web site.
The kingdom has also pledged to abide by WTO rules in its trade with all 148 members of the WTO, including Israel, he added.
"As a result of negotiations on its accession to the WTO, we will see greater openness, further development of the rule of law, and political and economic reform in Saudi Arabia".
The agreement, signed without public fanfare in Washington, paves the way for Saudi Arabia to join the WTO by the end of 2005.
The United States was the last WTO member to reach a bilateral market access deal with Riyadh.
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