Great advance in negotiations for Saudi Arabia to join GATT

Saudi economic sources stated today that the sixth round of negotiations on Saudi Arabia joining the GATT achieved agreed progress, expressing their hope of joining as soon as possible and referring to the existence of many issues that are still under discussion with some of the main member states in the agreement, which at the same time form main partners to Saudi Arabia.

This step comes as part of Saudi Arabia's strategy of not relying on petroleum as the main source of its national income and the importance of supporting the Saudi private sector.