GULF COUNCIL, EEC LIKELY TO REACH TRADE ACCORD.

Oct 9, 1992

GULF COUNCIL, EEC LIKELY TO REACH TRADE ACCORD.

BRUSSELS, 7 OCTOBER 92 (OPECNA) -- The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the European Economic Community would reach a final agreement on free trade soon, a senior GCC official is reported to have said here Tuesday.

In an interview with the London-based "Asharq al Awsat", Musthaq Bin Abdullah Al-Saleh, the GCC representative to the Community, said he hoped that the two sides would reach a satisfactory solution to the controversial issue of an energy tax proposed by the EC.

Mushtaq, an Omani national and first GCC ambassador to a foreign country, said "everyone is aware of the importance of GCC and EC and their role in the political and economic scene. As there are common interests between the two groups, it was decided to establish a direct channel of contact to look after these interests which are increasing day by day".

On the GCC-EEC talks on free trade, he said "we have made great progress in these talks and we are optimistic that we will reach a final agreement shortly. The negotiations are in their final stages".