ISLAMABAD, Oct 17: The United States Assistant Trade Representative for South Asia, Ashley Will, on Friday ruled out free trade between Pakistan and the US at least in the next few years.

Talking to a select group of journalists at the American centre, he said the two countries could increase bilateral trade by taking full advantage of Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA).

The formal session of TIFA is expected in the third month of 2004 which might be held in Washington, he said and added Pakistan would be the second country to enter into such an agreement with the US after Sri Lanka.

He said the US exports to Pakistan had registered steep growth in the last few years, which was expected to be further improved in the coming years.

“We also believe that Pakistan could attract more US investments in a number of sectors if it could improve the legislation side, particularly in the areas of implementation of the intellectual property rights,” he remarked.

Answering a question, he said that there was no American pressure on Pakistan to withdraw from the group of G-22 countries established at Cancun ministerial conference to protect the rights of developing countries.

The US trade representative said that the US strongly believed in the multilateral trading system. “Our first commitment is for multilateral trading system. But the bilateral trading system is also in the interest of America,” he said.

The reforms undertaken by Pakistan have helped the country achieve macroeconomic stability, he said. “We look forward to seeing introduction of more reforms aimed at improving the lot of the poor.”

He said the travel advisory for American citizens would be modified as soon as the conditions here improved.

Mr Will, however, made it clear that until the US ambassador in Islamabad assured the US government in writing that security conditions in Pakistan had improved and that it was safe for the US citizens to travel to this country, it was not possible for Washington to issue a positive advisory.

“We review the situation regularly. The improvements in security conditions would be subsequently documented in the travel advisory,” he said.

He said the US assistance to Pakistan is contingent on mutual friendship and as long as the two remain friends, American assistance to Pakistan will continue, he remarked.