Indian pickup trucks are among the imports the United States would like to bar or restrict in the context of the free trade agreement it is negotiating with Thailand.

US lawmakers are concerned that Japan, South Korea, India and other major producing countries would use Thailand as a base to flood the US automobile market with small pickups, costing jobs at US auto companies and suppliers.

US Trade Representative Robert B Zoellick noted some of the challenges facing negotiators in a letter earlier this year notifying Congress that talks would start this month, including restrictions on services and autos as well as labour and human rights issues, The Washington Times said about the free trade talks with Thailand which began this week.

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"We are sensitive to Congressional concerns on automotive issues and will consult closely with Congress and US auto manufacturers and workers in developing positions on this issue," said Zoellick.

Since then, the paper points out, more than 200 US representatives and 36 Senators have sponsored a legislation that urges the Bush Administration not to reduce the tariff on imported pickup trucks.

The big three automakers, General Motors, Ford and DaimlerChrysler, do not have a common position on the pickup issue, and do not expect either the Thai or US government to form a position until after the November election.

There is not going to be any progress on that until after the election, said Dennis Fitzgibbons, director of public policy for DaimlerChrysler, the German-US auto company.

"In general, we are in favour of lower tariffs and trade barriers, he said."