US President George W. Bush will welcome and hold talks at the White House with the presidents of Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua on May 12, the White House said in a statement on Monday.

"The president looks forward to discussing with his colleagues the Central American and Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement, as well as efforts to advance our common goal of a more democratic and prosperous Western Hemisphere," the statement said.

The White House has recently stepped up efforts to urge the US Congress to approve the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) which was signed last year. The CAFTA will ultimately eliminate tariffs and trade barriers between the United States, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.