| Fuleihan chides states blocking free-trade deal Economy and Trade Minister
Basil Fuleihan flew home from Cairo Thursday after chairing the 71st session of the Arab
League’s Economic and Social Council, which focused on speeding up regional economic
integration.
A decision adopted at the session called on signatories to the Greater Arab Free Trade
Area (GAFTA) to expedite measures required for membership.
Fuleihan chaired the two-day session as Lebanon currently holds the rotating presidency of
the 22-nation Arab League.
In a speech at the opening session Wednesday, Fuleihan said certain Arab countries were
obstructing plans to set up a free trade zone by 2005 by erecting trade barriers and
refusing to implement past economic resolutions.
“The insistence of some Arab countries on linking any move toward removing exemptions
on tariff cuts to progress on specific rules of origin is not helpful,” he said.
“This move will impede progress toward setting up GAFTA.”
The council concluded its deliberations Thursday by affirming the need to remove tariff
exemptions to certain countries, namely Egypt and Tunisia.
The Arab League had issued a decree two years ago calling on signatories to GAFTA to
remove exemptions to tariff cuts.
Fuleihan cautioned the council that any bid to extend tariff exceptions might drive other
member countries to adopt retaliatory measures.
The council called for a joint Arab agricultural agenda for 2003, and the circulation of
requirements for member countries prior to March 31.
It postponed discussing the question of certificates of origin and related documents until
the next session.
Regarding standards for dispute resolution, the council called on legal experts assigned
to look into the matter to report to member states prior to a meeting of the
implementation and follow-up committee.
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