The United States and Colombia are seeking to strengthen economic and trade ties and accelerate negotiations on a reciprocal trade agreement, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said after meeting Colombian Trade Minister Mauricio Gomez Amin. The talks follow Colombia’s request for a temporary suspension of tariffs affecting its products and come as Washington provides humanitarian support after the Aug. 10 earthquake. The State Department has said the United States provided $26.5 million in emergency assistance, deployed search-and-rescue teams and supplied C-130 airlift flights. The proposed agreement would build on the 2012 US-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement, which covers goods and services and eliminated tariffs on most goods, while supporting broader efforts under President Abelardo De la Espriella’s administration to deepen security and economic ties.