Obama says pleased with progress on Panama trade pact

President Obama said he expects Congress to pass a US-Panama deal that he plans to send to US lawmakers as part of a wider package on trade.

"My expectation is that as part of a broader trade package that we're going to be presenting to Congress, that we're going to be able to get this done," he said after a White House meeting with Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli.

The pact would tie Panama's largely service-based economy even closer to the United States.

Original source: Reuters