Arab free trade zone launched

The Arab League has launched a regional free trade programme as a first step towards creating an Arab common market.

The Secretary-General of the Arab League, Esmat Abdel-Meguid, said customs between member states would be cut by ten percent a year until 2007 when they would finally be abolished.

He said the first reduction would come into effect on January 1st.

The launch of the free trade programme follows an agreement in June between Arab foreign ministers meeting in Syria to set up a common market.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service