March 13, 2003	Thursday	Muharram 9, 1424

ISLAMABAD, March 12: A high-level technical team of Sri Lanka is arriving here on March 17 to negotiate duty concession on the remaining items to be considered under free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries.

An official source in the commerce ministry said that earlier the Sri Lankan minister for International Trade and Commerce was due on March 11 to finalize the FTA.

The official said that Islamabad has requested the Sri Lankan government to sent a technical team to Pakistan prior to the visit of the minister to finalize the items for duty concession.

During their 3-day stay, the Sri Lankan officials would discuss the FTA with their Pakistani counterparts. They would also discuss three annexures to the agreement, which would be finalized. Annexure A includes immediate zero duty lists of items, phase out list and no-concession list for Pakistan side. The Annexure B includes immediate zero duty lists of items, phase out list and no-concession list for Sri Lanka, while the Annexure C includes rules of origin.