JERUSALEM, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Israel and Bahrain announced the opening of negotiations for reaching a free trade agreement, Israel's Ministry of Economy and Industry said in a statement on Tuesday.
The launch of negotiations was announced in the Bahraini capital of Manama by the Israeli Minister of Economy and Industry Orna Barbivay and Bahrain's Minister of Industry and Commerce Zayed Bin Rashid Al Zayani.
The agreement is expected to include issues related to trade in goods and services, regulation and standardization, customs, government procurement, e-commerce and protection of intellectual property rights, according to the Israeli ministry.
The two countries signed a U.S.-brokered agreement on Sept. 15, 2020 to normalize diplomatic ties. ■
