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U.S., South Korea set trade talksSEOUL (AP)--South Korea and the U.S. have scheduled agriculture talks early next month, officials said Feb. 21, part of ongoing free trade negotiations that are fast approaching a key deadline. The talks will take place in Washington on March 5 and 6, just days ahead of the start of their eighth round of free trade negotiations on March 8 in Seoul, the officials said. Representing the U.S. will be Ambassador Richard Crowder, the chief negotiator on agriculture issues in the free trade talks for the Office of the United States Trade Representative, said U.S. Embassy spokesman Robert Ogburn. South Korea will be represented by Min Dong-seok, deputy minister for trade at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, said a ministry official. Agriculture has been one of the hurdles that negotiators are trying to clear. South Korea has refused to include its rice market in the free trade talks, citing it as a "sensitive" area. Rice won't be discussed in the March talks in Washington, the South Korean official said. Free trade negotiators for the two sides are running out of time as they must have an agreement on the table by the end of March to meet various requirements needed to take advantage of U.S. President George W. Bush's special trade powers that expire on July 1. Bush, under so-called "fast track" authority, can submit a deal to Congress for a straight yes-no vote with no amendments, seen as making eventual passage easier. South Korea's National Assembly must also approve any agreement. 1 Star WK 2/26/07 8 B Date: 2/22/07
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