Qatari Minister of Economy holds press conference on GCC meeting

Riyadh,October 25, SPA--Qatar's Minister of Economy and Finance Yosef
Hussein Kamal who is Chairman of the extraordinary meeting of finance
ministers and central bank governors of Gulf Cooperation (GCC) states
announced that the meeting agreed here today to proceed to sign a
free trade agreement with the European Union before the end of this
year.

In a press conference held following the meeting, the minister
described the economic and financial situations in the GCC states as
good, expecting continual good growth rates in the GCC countries.
With regard to the Group of Twenty G20 meeting in Washington in
November, the minister said," The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is
represented in this group and at the same time, it is a member of the
Gulf Cooperation Council. It will convey the view point of GCC to
members of G20.

He emphasized that the economic regulations of GCC states will prove
to the world in the near future their importance and strength.
--SPA