The US Congress is expected to endorse a bilateral accord with Saudi Arabia within a few days, paving the way for a landmark WTO agreement between the two countries.
"The two sides have signed the bilateral draft agreement and the US Congress is expected to endorse it and announce its final form this week or early next week," a senior Saudi official said.
The official signing ceremony will be held during Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal's visit to Washington by the middle of this month.
"The bilateral accord removes one of the major obstacles standing in the way of Saudi Arabia's accession to the World Trade Organization," the official told Asharq Al-Awsat, a sister publication of the Arab News.
Saudi Arabia is expected to join the world body before the end of this year. A declaration in this respect is likely to be made at the WTO conference in Hong Kong scheduled for December 13-18.
Referring to the bilateral agreement, the official said it would promote investment and commercial ties between the two countries.
The bilateral agreement covers energy, transport, distribution, commerce, the environment, restaurants, post, agriculture, and services.
