GCC and Turkey experts conclude meeting

Riyadh, July 20, SPA -- Experts from member states of the Gulf
Cooperation Council (GCC) and Turkey concluded here on Sunday a
preparatory meeting for strategic dialogue between the Council and
the Turkish Republic.

During the meeting, they reviewed aspects of relations between the
GCC countries and the Turkish Republic and ways of supporting and
developing the relations between the two sides, particularly with
regard to the progress of negotiations between them on a free trade
agreement.

This meeting comes in preparation for the upcoming meeting of the
foreign ministers of both sides on the 7th of September.

It is noteworthy that the two sides have signed a Framework Agreement
for the economic cooperation on May 30, 2005 in the Bahraini capital
- Manama.

Among the most prominent features of this Agreements is to encourage
economic cooperation in various fields between the two sides and
facilitate exchange of knowledge and expertise necessary in those
areas, and to encourage the exchange of visits of representatives and
delegations and economic and commercial missions, staging exhibitions
and providing facilities and assistance necessary to enhance economic
cooperation.

The GCC is made up of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates,
Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.