Japanese PM renews push Gulf trade agreement
Arabian Business | Sunday, 25 August 2013
Japanese PM renews push Gulf trade agreement
By Courtney Trenwith
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has renewed a push for a free trade agreement with Gulf countries during a visit to the region.
The leader of the world’s third largest economy was in Bahrain on Saturday and is also scheduled to visit Qatar and Kuwait.
A free trade agreement has been on the table since prior to the global financial crisis but has stalled since 2009.
Abe will urge the GCC leaders he meets to push for the six-nation grouping to resume the talks at an early date, government officials said.
He is also aiming to improve ties to secure stable supplies of crude oil and natural gas and will urge the leaders of Kuwait and Qatar to enable Japanese companies to take part in upcoming large-scale infrastructure projects in the two Gulf states, Kyodo News International reported.
"I hope I will be able to enhance our ties comprehensively, rather than focusing only on oil and other energy fields. I am going to market (Japan) to the rapidly growing Gulf countries," Abe told reporters prior to departing Japan.
