Bahrain Duty Free

Now, the logic is not just to have individual free trade agreements, the logic would be to try to link them together over time. So, we have one with Jordan, we’re negotiating one with Morocco that I think we’re on track to finish by the end of this year, and one of the reasons I was in Bahrain a few days ago is that we would like to begin our negotiation with Bahrain after our consultations with Congress early next year. Bahrain has made good progress. I frankly think we are in good shape to get that done within a year. But then, if those examples could draw others, almost as models, then we could start to combine them. For example, we look towards the possibility of countries in the Gulf perhaps joining into the Bahrain Free Trade Agreement, making specialized arrangements for their goods and agriculture but following the basic rules, and that would have a benefit of encouraging regional integration, so that their products to ... [Read More]

G8 and Broader Middle East and North African Countries Make Progress in Their Partnership To Support Reform

The G8 Stands With Regional Reformers: The President underlined the achievements that are possible when established democracies of the G8 stand with Middle Eastern partners on their political and social aspirations. He pointed to recent successes where the G8 supported the organization and conduct of elections in Lebanon, recently freed from the yoke of Syrian occupation, as the international community jointly with Lebanese citizens demanded the departure of Syrian troops. The G8 provided resources to enable the Palestinians to hold fair and free elections and, by speaking out against human rights abuses and the jailing of political opponents, the established democracies were able contribute to the release of political figures, such as Ayman Nour, and help protect participants in street protests. ... [Read More]

Department of State Washington File: Text: USTR Zoellick on Global Trade and the Middle East

The Bush administration's plan to negotiate a U.S.-Middle East free trade agreement within a decade will employ a variety of strategies to move, step-by-step, toward free U.S. trade with the region and greater commerce within the region itself, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick says. ...

Fifth, the United States will negotiate comprehensive free trade agreements -- which remove all barriers to trade across all sectors -- with the aim of expanding the bilateral FTAs into "sub-regional" FTAs by mooring other interested and qualified countries in the safe harbors of existing free trade agreements. The initial agreements might serve as beacons for other countries in the region -- brightening the way for an illumination of high quality FTAs, spanning the region from the Atlantic Ocean to the Persian Gulf. ... [Read More]

Bahrain

Bahrain is a monarchy which, in 2002 adopted a constitution that reinstated a legislative body with one elected chamber. The Al-Khalifa extended family has ruled the country since the late 18th century and continues to dominate all facets of society and government. The King, Sheikh Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa, governs the country with the assistance of his uncle, the Prime Minister; his son, the Crown Prince; and an appointed cabinet of ministers. The King chairs the Higher Judicial Council. Members of the Al-Khalifa family hold 9 out of 24 cabinet positions, including all "strategic ministries." The partially elected National Assembly consists of an elected Council of Representatives and an appointed Shura Council. However, the courts have ruled against the Government in the past. The National Action Charter provides that the King is the head of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. The Constitution gives the elected Co ... [Read More]

Dominican Republic Joins U.S.-Central America Free Trade Agreement - US Department of State

DR-CAFTA is a key export market for important U.S. manufacturing sectors such as information technology products, agricultural and construction equipment, paper products, chemicals and medical and scientific equipment, all of which will enjoy immediate duty-free access. More than half of current U.S. farm exports to the Dominican Republic and Central America will become duty-free immediately, including high quality cuts of beef, cotton, wheat, soybeans, key fruits and vegetables, processed food products, and wine, among others. Each of the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia export to the CAFTA region. The leading states exporting to DR-CAFTA countries are Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Louisiana, California, Georgia, Alabama, Massachusetts, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania. ... [Read More]

Department of State Washington File: U.S.-Middle East Free Trade Initiatives Mean Jobs and Education

Bush announced his Middle East Free Trade Initiative at a speech at the University of South Carolina May 9. The initiative, designed to lead to a U.S.-Middle East free trade area within ten years, involves a comprehensive offer to help Arab countries carry out educational, economic, and infrastructure developments to enable them to build free, dynamic economies and raise standards of living. ...

-- helping Arab countries expand access to the Generalized System of Preferences, which allows some 3,500 products from 140 countries to enter the United States duty-free. In 2002, nearly $300 million worth of products from the Middle East qualified for this program, including Egyptian furniture, Omani jewelry and Lebanese olive oil, the trade representative's office said. ... [Read More]

V. Country Narratives -- Countries A through G

Bahrain is a destination country for women and men who migrate legally from South Asia and the Philippines and — to a lesser extent — from China, Indonesia, the former Soviet Union, Morocco, and Ethiopia, but fall victim to conditions of sexual servitude, debt bondage, and other exploitative conditions that constitute involuntary servitude. The Government of Bahrain does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. Bahrain is placed on Tier 2 Watch List because of the lack of evidence of increasing efforts to combat severe forms of trafficking in persons from the previous year. Although Bahrain has developed a national plan of action and created an inter-ministerial taskforce on trafficking, these efforts were not accompanied by concrete actions to address the substantial trafficking pr ... [Read More]

US Department Of State Post Report

Those with diplomatic and official passports have no difficulty clearing personal accompanied luggage through Customs upon initial arrival or upon return from leave. Diplomatic-list personnel are accorded duty-free entry for all parcel post and freight shipments throughout their tours. ...

Make sure flight reservations are fully confirmed. If temporary housing is required, hotel reservations will be made by the Embassy. As soon as possible, mail documentation on personal effects shipments to allow the Embassy time to clear them through customs before arrival. Packing lists are needed for customs clearance of imported personal effects. Customs, Duties, and Passage Customs and DutiesLast Updated:  2/4/2004 2:09 AM Those with diplomatic and official passports have no difficulty clearing personal accompanied luggage through Customs upon initial arrival or upon return from leave or TDY travel.  Diplomatic personnel are accorded duty-free ent ... [Read More]