Turkiye's Ministry of Trade held on Wednesday the first round of negotiations on the free trade agreement between Turkiye and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The ministry stated that the negotiations are taking place within the framework of the joint declaration signed between Turkiye and the GCC last March. This round covers facilitating trade in services and investments, including goods trade, rules of origin, contracting, tourism and health. The two sides are continuing negotiations through online meetings and will meet in Riyadh in the second half of the year for a second round of negotiations. With a total value of USD 2.4 trillion, the implementation of the agreement between Turkiye and the GCC countries will represent one of the largest free trade zones in the world. The GCC prioritized the agreement negotiations following Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's participation in the 44th GCC Summit held in Doha last year. (QNA) Source: Qatar News Agency