President George W. Bush on Monday urged the Democrat-held US Congress to ratify the US-Peru free trade pact before lawmakers go on their August recess.
"We've got trade agreements that we've reached with Peru, and Panama and Colombia. It's really important for the United States Congress to pass these agreements," he said at a forum on US relations with Latin America.
"I'd like to see the Peruvian deal done by the beginning of August. They've got time to get the bill done," he added.
In late June, the United States and Peru agreed to amendments to the April 2006 US-Peru trade deal, offering guarantees of labor rights and environmental protection, as sought by the Democrats.
