Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin said on Wednesday he would press US President George Bush to honor the NAFTA ruling on the softwood dispute between the two countries on the sidelines of a summit of the Asia-Pacific leaders in South Korea.

"Needless to say I will be discussing softwood lumber with President Bush," Martin, who is leaving for South Korea on Wednesday, told reporters on the Parliament hill following a caucus meeting.

"I will be maintaining Canada's position we are right and the free trade agreement should be honored."

A panel under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is giving the United States one week to drastically cut duties on Canadian softwood lumber imports. The panel is calling on Washington to all but eliminate punishing lumber penalties of more than 16 percent.

Washington said last month it needed more time to consider the latest NAFTA ruling in favor of Canada and decide what to do.

On Aug. 10, the NAFTA Extraordinary Challenge Committee ruled that the United States had failed to prove that its domestic lumber industry is being threatened with injury as a result of Canadian softwood imports.

Source: Xinhua