Pakistan monsoon death toll rises to 299, including 140 children    Saudi Arabia issues new regulations for food laboratory operations    Saudi Tourism Ministry launches e-service to boost accommodation capacity in Makkah and Madinah for Hajj 1447    Four health colleges rank lowest in 2025 national licensure exam results    SABIC posts $1.41 billion loss in H1 2025 on UK plant closure, restructuring costs    OPEC+ to boost oil output by 547,000 bpd in September    Foreign direct investment nets SR1.9 billion in Saudi stock market for July    Saudi, Iraqi justice ministers sign cooperation agreement in Riyadh    Palestine Red Crescent says Israeli strike on Gaza HQ kills worker, injures three    Saudi defender Saud Abdulhamid joins RC Lens on loan from AS Roma    Riyadh Comedy Festival tickets now on sale for world's biggest stand-up event    Flash floods, landslides kill 8 in northern Vietnam, 3 missing    Canada rejects claims of ongoing arms exports to Israel    Saudi Gazette publishes full text of new foreign property ownership law The law grants non-Saudis broader real estate rights under defined conditions while imposing restrictions in Makkah and Madinah    Sotheby's returns Buddha jewels to India after uproar    Riyadh Film Music Festival returns with live orchestral performances of iconic movie scores    Nissan Formula E Team celebrates a landmark season 11 with proud Saudi sponsor Electromin    Fahad bin Nafel steps down as Al Hilal president after historic six-year run    João Félix unveiled by Al Nassr as €50m move marks bold new chapter in Riyadh    Saudi Arabia approves first Alzheimer's treatment with lecanemab for early-stage patients    Sholay: Bollywood epic roars back to big screen after 50 years with new ending    Ministry launches online booking for slaughterhouses on eve of Eid Al-Adha    Shah Rukh Khan makes Met Gala debut in Sabyasachi    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







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Muslim States Edge Toward Free Trade Zone
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 20 - 06 - 2005

Muslim countries moved closer to forming a free trade area yesterday with plans to adopt tariff-cutting steps by end-2005 to bridge a gap between rich and poor members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).
"This is an important first step toward the larger goal of greater economic integration among the OIC countries," the group's chairman, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, told an OIC trade forum.
One of the biggest challenges facing the grouping of Muslim countries is the vast economic disparities among its 57 members, Abdullah told the forum in Malaysia's administrative capital.
The OIC includes Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, The United Arab Emirates and Kuwait - which together possess 700 billion barrels of proven oil reserves - as well as countries such as Afghanistan, Sierra Leone and Bangladesh.
Reuters quoted Abdullah as saying that the OIC countries were negotiating to establish a preferential trading system to boost trade with each other.
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1038 Local Time
0738 GMT


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