US President George W. Bush urged on Monday the US Congress to pass the Central American and Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and hailed the democratic progress made in the hemisphere.

In a speech delivered to a plenary session of the General Assembly of the Organization of the American States, Bush said " CAFTA is more than just a trade agreement. It is a signal of the US commitment to democracy and prosperity for our neighbors, and I urge the United States Congress to pass it."

By passing the CAFTA, Bush said, the United States would open up a market of 44 million consumers for US farmers and small business people. "CAFTA will replace a system that is often arbitrary with one that is fair and transparent and based on common rules," Bush said.

The CAFTA is beneficial for the Western Hemisphere as well, Bush said, adding that the CAFTA would continue to advance stability and security.

"An America where all our people live in prosperity will be more peaceful. An America whose countries have reduced the barriers to trade among ourselves will be a more competitive region in the global economy," he said.

In his weekly radio address on Saturday, Bush said that the CAFTA would lower barriers in sectors such as textile, which he said would make US manufacturers more competitive in the global market.

Bush has been calling on the Congress to ratify the CAFTA. However, the Democrats and some Republicans in the Congress are against the CAFTA as they claim the free trade agreement might harm US economy and market.

In addition to free trade, Bush also hailed the progress in democracy in the hemisphere.

"In 1974, the last time the OAS General Assembly met in the United States, fewer than half its members had democratically elected governments. Today, all 34 countries participating in this General Assembly have democratic constitutional governments," Bush said.

Bush, who has made the touting of democracy and freedom a central theme in his foreign policy, argued that there are two competing visions as to bringing a better life to the new Americas of the 21st century.

"One offers a vision of hope. It is founded on representative government, integration into the world markets and a faith in the transformative power of freedom in individual lives. The other seeks to roll back the democratic progress of the past two decades by playing to fear, pitting neighbor against neighbor and blaming others for their own failures to provide for their people," he said.

The countries in the region have been skeptical of the free trade and democracy initiatives of the Bush administration as the US-prescribed policies of free trade and fiscal discipline have done little for one-in-four Latin Americans is still living in poverty.

Moreover, the countries in the region have been reluctant to join the United States in toughening stance against Venezuela and Cuba.

The annual OAS General Assembly opened here on Sunday in the southern US State of Florida. It is expected to close on Tuesday.

Source: Xinhua