Economic relations between Syria, Iraq reviewed

Syrian minister of the economy and foreign trade Muhammad al-Imadi on Wednesday in Damascus discussed with his Iraqi counterpart Muhammad Mahdi Saleh trade and economic relations between Syria and Iraq and means of revitalizing them in the framework of the UN food for oil agreement.

The two ministers reviewed work status at Tartous airport, implementing agreements signed between the two states in the fields of delivery of medicines, detergents and foodstuffs to Iraq in the framework of the said oil for food agreement In a similar agreement, the Syrian minister of transport Makram Obeid discussed with the Iraqi minister bilateral relations in the area of transport and means of developing them.

The two sides exchanged means of reactivating railways transport and increasing the volume of trade exchange and transit through the Syrian ports according to the oil for food agreement. They also agreed to facilitate the mechanism of transport by lorries and to have the technical committees representing the two sides follow up the implementation of these issues.

The meeting was attended by the chairman of the Damascus Chamber of Commerce Ratib al-Shallah, the chairman of the tourism and transport bureaus in Syria Saeb Nahas and the chairman of the Iraqi interests supervision office in Damascus.