Iraqi trade minister Ar'ar crossing to open in few days

The Iraqi trade minister Muhammad Mahdi Saleh has stressed that his country will very shortly open Ar'ar crossing at the Saudi Arabian borders for the movement of goods coming from Saudi Arabia.

In a statement issued yesterday by the Saudi daily Riyadh, the Iraqi minister added "we will announce the inauguration of Ar'ar crossing with the coming days, noting that his country is waiting for completing the requirements need by the Swiss Kotikna company which assumes the role of registering goods coming from Saudi Arabia in the framework of the UN "oil for food" program.

Saleh added as saying: "we are inviting the Saudi authorities concerned to discuss the idea of signing a free trade agreement." He explained that his country sent a message to the exports promotion office in Saudi Arabia and through other channels in order to sign this agreement.

He stressed that the relation between Iraq and Saudi Arabia is developing, noting that Saudi Arabia has become a leading exporter to Iraq. He added also that Iraq's imports volume from Saudi Arabia exceeded USD one billion annually.