LOC23:21
20:21 GMT
ALGIERS, June 1 (KUNA) -- Algerian Commerce Minister Al-Hashimi Jaaboub
Monday termed as "positive" his country's membership in the Arab Free Trade
Zone since beginning of this year.
He said in a statement Algeria's membership would increase trade exchange
with the Arab countries.
The Algerian government is determining which goods to be banned from
entering the country to protect the national economy, he said.
The Algerian membership in the free trae zone, he said, would have negative
impacts on the short-term.
Algerian exports to Arab countries rose by 76.35 percent in 2008 to USD 2.
18 billion compared with USD 1.24 billion the year before.
Arab exports to Algeria valued USD 1.1 billion in 2008 against USD 905
million in 2007. (end)
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