By GEORGE GEDDA, Associated Press Writer

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Clinton released on Monday a list of 34
African and 24 Caribbean countries that will
  be eligible for expanded opportunities for trade in American markets.

  "We will help promote economic development, alleviate global poverty and
create new opportunities for American
  workers and businesses," Clinton said in a statement.

  He said the action "truly marks a new era of stronger relations" between
the United States and friendly countries in the
  Caribbean, Central America and Africa.

  All countries in the Central America-Caribbean area were on the list
except Cuba, with which the United States maintains
  a trade embargo.

  Fourteen African countries were excluded from the list either because they
showed no interest in taking part or because
  they are considered hostile to U.S. interests, have a poor human rights
record or pursue economic policies deemed
  unsound.

  The measures had been rejected by the Congress for years before finally
winning approval this past spring.

  The Caribbean-Central American section of the legislation gives these
countries the same benefits that Mexico has enjoyed
  under the North American Free Trade Agreement.

  Many countries in the region have had difficulty competing with Mexico in
their quest to penetrate the U.S. market since
  Mexico joined the United States and Canada in NAFTA almost seven years
ago.

  Trade officials said some of the countries will not qualify for immediate
eligibility because they have not met requisite labor
  standards.

  The African countries which will not take part are Angola, Burundi,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi,
  Comoros, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Liberia, Somalia, Sudan,
Swaziland, Togo and Zimbabwe.

  Comoros, Somalia and Sudan did not express interest in participating, the
officials said.

  Sierra Leone was deemed eligible despite continuing civil strife that has
prompted the U.N. Security Council to commit
  more the 20,000 troops in hopes of restoring order.

  Officials noted that Sierra Leone has an elected government and a market
economy but they acknowledged that it may be
  some time before the country will be able to benefit from the new trade
opportunities.

  Over the short term, officials said the greatest benefit for eligible
countries in Africa will be in apparel exports.

  A major concern of the Congress was that non-African countries would
attempt to pass off apparel products as made on
  that continent.

  The officials said all countries on the eligible list must first
demonstrate they have the capacity to protect against illicit
  transshipments.





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