Marina Sarruf*
São Paulo – The minister of finance of Saudi Arabia, Ibrahim Abdulaziz Al-Assaf, stated yesterday (05) that there will be a meeting between representatives of the Mercosur and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to proceed with negotiations for a free trade agreement between both blocs. The meeting should take place at the end of the month of May, in Saudi Arabia. The minister made the statement during a meeting with representatives of the Joint Arab-Foreign Chambers of Commerce, among them the secretary general of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Michel Alaby.
The meeting yesterday was part of the agenda of the annual meeting, which takes place in Riyadh every year. The GCC – the economic bloc that includes Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Oman – started negotiating a treaty with the Mercosur during the Summit of South American – Arab Countries, which took place in May 2005, when a framework agreement was signed between both blocs.
According to Alaby, the Arab bloc is also negotiating free trade agreements with the European Union (EU), and it is therefore necessary for the South American countries to work hard to advance in the negotiations and avoid the loss of opportunities.
During the meeting yesterday, Al-Assaf also stated that he is going to participate in meetings of ministers in the economic area of the Arab and South American countries, to take place in Quito, Ecuador, between April 25 and 26.
This is the second meeting of ministers from both regions this year. The first, between ministers of Culture, took place in Algiers, the capital of Algeria, in January. In Quito, the participants are going to discuss topics like trade and investment. These meetings should proceed with decisions made during the Summit.
Still yesterday, Alaby delivered to the minister the presentation he made on Tuesday (04) at Hotel Radisson, in Riyadh, in which he discussed a series of proposals to expand trade and joint projects between the Arab and South American countries. "I also spoke to him a little it about Brazil," he said.
Alaby and a committee of 40 people also met with the governor of Riyadh, Salman bin Abdul Aziz. "It was a courtesy visit. He is a very pleasant and intelligent man," said Alaby. The Arab Brazilian Chamber secretary general also stated that it would be a great pleasure to receive the governor in Brazil.
*Translated by Mark Ament
