GCC says free trade talks with Turkey to resume

0 Comments | AFP, February, 2008

DOHA (AFP) — Turkey and the Gulf Cooperation Council will meet on February 26-27 for a third round of talks on a free-trade agreement, the GCC secretary general said on Thursday.

Aberrahman al-Attiyah said visiting Turkish President Abduallah Gul had expressed hopes during a meeting on Wednesday that the deal could be firmed up then.

The two preceding rounds of talks, in 2005 and 2006, were inconclusive because of delays in reaching a similar deal between the GCC and the European Union, with the latter having a customs accord with Turkey, Attiyah said.

"Now that the details of the GCC-EU accord are clear, that will facilitate a deal with Turkey," Attiyah added in remarks carried by the official QNA news agency.

He said he was confident a deal would...