Tunisia, Iraq agree free trade pact

The Iraqi Vice President, Taha Yassin Ramadan, has ended a visit to Tunisia during which the two countries signed a free trade accord.

Officials said the agreement, which aims to abolish tariffs on trade and investments, was part of moves to set up a wider Arab free trade zone.

Correspondents say the accord could not be implemented before United Nations sanctions against Baghdad are lifted. Iraq has reached similar agreements with Egypt and Syria.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service