SHUNEH (Jordan), June 23: The United States pushed a free trade plan for the Middle East on Monday, dangling economic preferences as a prize for political cooperation.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell told reporters at a World Economic Forum meeting in Jordan that stability could only come to the region with better economic growth and jobs for millions of citizens.

“We want peace in the region, but with peace you need economic development or people will not benefit from that peace,” Mr Powell said.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick acknowledged that the free trade initiative, unveiled by President George Bush on May 9, was linked to the invasion of Iraq.

“We recognized that it was important to have a secure environment not only in military terms, but also to use that as a foundation for building opportunity that we hope (brings) empowerment to the region,” he said.

Mr Zoellick set out steps Washington would take to advance the trade zone scheme that envisages free commerce with Arab nations within a decade, linked to calls by Arabs themselves for internal reforms and greater political openness.

European Union Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy welcomed Washington’s idea, but in a later speech warned Arab countries they would have to move faster to improve trade relations among themselves before expecting trade breaks from others. —Reuters