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Bahrain to cut tariffs on electrical appliances

MANAMA: Bahrain is to abolish customs duties on foodstuffs and will cut tariffs on electrical appliances and other accessories, newspapers reported on Monday.

They said a five percent duty imposed on foodstuffs would be cancelled, while the 10 percent duty on electrical appliances, computers, communications devices, household and printing items would be cut to 7.5 percent.

The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting on Sunday, chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Sulman al-Khalifa, the newspapers reported without giving further details.

At a meeting in Saudi Arabia in November, Gulf Arab states agreed on common tariffs of 5.5 to 7.5 percent beginning from March 2005. The agreement also provided for excluding some items from any tariffs.-Reuters