Key members of Congress told President George W. Bush yesterday he would have trouble getting power to negotiate trade deals with foreign governments unless he agreed to attach labour and environmental standards.

Bush sat down with a group of Republican and Democratic members of the Senate and the House of Representatives to discuss how he could get so-called fast-track authority to negotiate trade agreements that Congress could accept or reject but not slow down with amendments.

“We've got a lot of work to do in order to get trade promotion authority, but I'm confident that we can work together to do so," Bush said as he met with the bipartisan group at a large table in the White House Cabinet Room. ’’It’s in our nation's best interest that we trade."

In the wake of the Seattle trade protests of late 1999, many mem bers of Congress are more sensi live to the desire of some group* that countries agree to environ

mental safeguards and labour standards as part of trade deals.

“The practical aspects are we won't have a bill if we don’t deal with it,” Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, an Iowa Republican, said after the meeting.

Bush had wanted fast-track authority before going to the Summit of the Americas in Quebec from April 20 to 22 to show Lahn America he was serious about opening up hemispheric trade.

But that goal may prove difficult to reach given the narrow Republican majority in the House and the evenly divided Senate.

Rep. Charles Rangel, a New York Democrat, said: “We truly believe that we have an obligation to have some standards set as relates to labour standards, human rights and environment. And no one disagrees. The question Is how much protection is going to be tied in to the authority we give the president.”

Montana Democratic Sen Max Baucus, asked if fast track would pass the Senate, said: "It depends

what's in it. ... labour and environmental provisions are very important. Times are changing.’

The White House said the meeting was only a start on the road to fast-track authority, which Bush's father enjoyed as president but which expired in 1994 under President Bill Clinton, who failed to persuade Congress to renew it.

"The purpose of this meeting was to start a dialogue, and we were very encouraged. It was a positive meeting. There was broad agreement as to the importance of trade,” White House spokeswoman Claire Buchan said.

“We believe that we can work constructively with members of both parties on trade promotion authority, and we look forward to doing it." she said.

A key test will be how Congress handles the US-Jordan Free Trade Agreement, which includes labour and environmental standards. The goal has been to have it completed in time for (he visit to Washington of Jordan's King Abdullah. He arrives Wednesday and is to meet Bush on April 10.