Washington ? Overcoming a last-minute snag on textiles, the United States reached a free trade agreement on Wednesday with four Central American countries.

Negotiators reached agreement in all areas, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick announced at a news conference with the trade ministers of Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras.

“Negotiations began last January, and today we have fulfilled that vision with a cutting-edge, modern free-trade agreement to tear down the tariff walls that block trade between the United States and Central America, between friends and neighbors,” Zoellick said.

Costa Rica abruptly left the talks complaining about excessive demands being made by the United States for the nation to open up its market to foreign competition in telecommunications and insurance.

However, U.S. officials expressed hope that the differences with Costa Rica could be resolved in coming weeks so that it would be included when the administration submits the Central American Free Trade Agreement, or CAFTA, to Congress early next year.

The deal, which will phase out virtually all trade barriers among the countries during the next decade, represents the sixth free trade deal the United States has achieved.