The United States and the EU have agreed on the shape of a pact to abolish tariffs on computers, a US source said Wednesday, and now the two are lobbying key Asian nations to come on board, reports AP

The source, speaking on condition of anonymity said agreement has not been announced officially because the two sides want to build support for it among other World Trade Organisation members before going public.

The pact won early support from Indonesia

Its trade minister Tunky Ariwibowo. told reporters that he can "basically live with the CSS that the US Is putting I

Although Indonesia is not a major player in the information technology business, its support could lead other Asian countries to shed their opposi tion.

The IT agreement is expected to be the centrepiece of the five-day ministerial conference of WTO's 128 members, gathered here to direct the path of freer global trade

The trading group also made progress on other fronts

Indonesia, a major holdout, said ft was seriously.consider ing joining the pact before the February 15 deadline.

And a Japanese proposal to study a uniform global code to help foreign investors also was gaining support from more countries.