Top Democrat prods Obama on Panama trade deal

A top US Democrat urged President Barack Obama to incorporate trade deals with Colombia and Panama into his new push to win congressional approval of a pact with South Korea by early 2011.

"I would hope that the Colombia and Panamanian agreements would be considered either contemporaneously or prior to consideration of the Korean agreement," House of Representatives Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said.

A spokeswoman for U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said the Panama and Colombia trade agreements were "important trade priorities" for the United States.

Original source: Reuters