SALALAH — The Sultanate will host today deliberations of the first meeting of the working team of economic and trade co-operation between the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) and Asean states at the level of experts and specialists.
The two-day meeting, which will be held here, will discuss a framework agreement for the economic, commercial and investment co-operation, steps to start free trade negotiations between the two sides after the completion of studies and means of exploring investment opportunities on each other’s sides in the fields of construction, services and infrastructure.
The meeting will also discuss co-operation in the field of financial and banking services, private sector partnership and ways of encouraging businessmen in the GCC and Asean to take part in the economic forums.
The working team was formed as per a joint action plan slated for 2010-2012 and approved at the second ministerial meeting for Strategic Dialogue, which was held in Singapore in June 2010.
Asean groups Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, the Philippines and Cambodia. — ONA
