US, Panama on "eve" of implementing trade pact: USTR

A long-delayed free trade agreement between the United States and Panama will go into force once the Central American country takes a few remaining steps, a top U.S. trade official said on Thursday.

"The United States and Panama are on the eve of bringing an historic trade agreement into force," Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Miriam Sapiro said in a speech at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

(Reporting by Doug Palmer; Editing by James Dalgleish)