The group promoting a free trade arrangement between the United States and Northern Ireland and the Border counties of the Republic has expressed "surprise" at the attitude of the US Secretary of Commerce, Mr William Daley, towards the proposal.

Mr Daley is at present leading a trade mission to Northern Ireland. He said in an interview in The Irish Times last Friday that such a free trade arrangement would "present enormous problems for the EU and the UK" and was a "very very long shot". In addition, the administration has not been given "fast track" authority by Congress to negotiate trade agreements at this time.

The North of Ireland Free Trade Initiative (NIFTI) said in Washington yesterday that it was "surprised" at Secretary Daley's comments, particularly about the necessity of "fast track" authority from President Clinton before an agreement could be negotiated.

The statement said that the comments are "a direct contradiction of the Clinton administration's often repeated statements, including Daley's own, on fast track. The administration, in fact, has pursued an active trade agenda despite the lack of fast track, including sectoral liberalisation through APEC and consideration of a trans-Atlantic economic partnership with the EU."

NIFTI also says that the free trade proposal has 27 co-sponsors in the US House of Representatives and Senate.