GCC, Japan resume FTA negotiations

RIYADH, July 16 (Xinhua) -- The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Japan announced Sunday the resumption of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The two sides signed a joint statement in the Saudi city of Jeddah to resume the negotiations on the sidelines of a meeting between GCC Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who is on an official visit to the Kingdom.

Japan is currently GCC's fourth-largest export market and import source, according to Albudaiwi.