Arab free trade zone, customs union top priorities

Setting up an Arab free trade zone and an Arab customs union are top projects on the agenda of the joint Arab action that would help improve comprehensive Arab economy, a Qatar's senior finance official said Thursday. At the opening of a preparatory meeting of the Arab League Economic and Social Council for the 25th Arab Summit, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce Sultan bin Rashed Al-Khater said that committees assigned to establish the Arab customs union should intensify their efforts to ultimately launch the project by 2015 to pave way for the establishment of an Arab common market. He said the Economic and Social Council should honor the growing aspirations of the Arab people. Al-Khater stressed that Qatar is extending unlimited support for the Arab League to achieve these goals. He added that Qatar is optimistic that the upcoming Arab Summit will be a success, especially since it is chaired by the State of Kuwait that always strive to achieve the common Arab action.