June 21, 2006
Australia to Consider Free Trade Talks
Associated Press
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) - Australia will consider negotiating a free trade agreement with several Middle Eastern countries, Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile said Wednesday.
Vaile said the Gulf Cooperation Council — which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — wanted to begin trade talks with Australia.
Australia has been in talks with the United Arab Emirates about a possible free trade deal, and Vaile said he would consider rolling those negotiations into a wider deal including the council.
"The GCC is an important and growing market for Australia with exports of goods worth 4.1 billion Australian dollars (US$3 billion; euro2.4 billion) in 2005," Vaile said.
"We will look closely at using the good progress we made in the U.A.E. negotiations to advance our export interests through a possible GCC wide agreement," Vaile said.