Gulf nations suspend FTA negotiations with Europe

Gulf nations has suspended talks with the European Union over a free-trade agreement, the bloc's secretary-general said yesterday.

"We have informed the European side of the suspension of negotiations on a free-trade accord," said Abderrahman Al Attiyah.

"We are suspending the negotiations until the European side agrees to sign the (most recent) draft accord," adding that the petroleum-rich monarchies had "made many concessions and responded favourably to the EU's many demands."

The decision came as no surprise, with member nation Qatar warning on December 15 that a suspension was in the offing if an impasse in the 20-year-old talks continued.

"Some day in the near future the GCC states will decide to suspend the talks which have so far had no result," Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem Al Thani said in Singapore. The GCC has been in talks with the now 27-member EU about a free-trade agreement since 1988.

Sheikh Hamad said the accord should have been signed at the end of November during a visit to Qatar by Nicolas Sarkozy, the President of France, which holds the rotating EU presidency.