The Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (Tifa) was signed by US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick and representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Zoellick said the agreement would "increase and diversify trade and investment opportunities."

The United States, he said, looked forward to working closely through the Tifa to further strengthen its economic relationships with the five countries and the region as a whole.

The Tifa will have a regular forum to address trade issues that hamper intra-regional trade and economic development and can act as impediments to investment, Zoellick said.

The Central Asia Tifa would complement efforts of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan currently negotiating accession to the World Trade Organization and US cooperation with Kyrgyzstan as a WTO member, Zoellick's office said in a statement. US imports from the five Central Asian countries totaled 570.5 million dollars in 2003 while exports amounted to 548.1 million dollars.