CAIRO: Egyptian Trade and Industry Minister Rachid Mohamed Rachid Thursday announced the formation of a committee mandated with conducting negotiations with Syria over the proposed establishment of a joint customs union. Rachid agreed with Syrian Minister of Economy and Trade Lamia Assi that a customs union between the two countries, together with the Gulf states' joint customs union, could eventually become the hub of a pan-Arab customs union . Egypt was stepping up its investments in the Syrian tourism sector.