Iraq increases its imports though the Syrian ports

The Iraqi minister of trade Muhammad Mahdi Saleh has announced that his country decided to increase the volume of its imports through the Syrian ports and this decision is based on the care to strengthen and expand bilateral cooperation relations between the two "sisterly" states.

During his meeting with the Syrian ministers of transport and communications Makram Obeid and Muhammad Ridwan Marteini, respectively on Wednesday, Saleh stressed the importance of the free trade zone agreement no. 23 for 2001 between Syria and Iraq.

The same was also asserted by the Iraqi deputy prime minister Himat Azzawi during his meeting with two said Syrian ministers, noting the importance of signing the free trade agreement between the Arab states.

Ministers Obeid and marteini expressed Syria's desire to expand fields of cooperation and implementing new agreements with Iraq.

Worthy mentioning, Obeid and marteini arrived in Baghdad by air on Monday in an official visit which lasts for several days.