Syrian firms plan medical fair in Iraq

Syrian firms will open an exhibition of medical products in Baghdad on July 26 in a bid to sell Iraq medicine under its oil-for-food deal with the United Nations, the official Iraqi News Agency (INA) said.

"The state company for marketing medical requirements and medicine of the Iraqi health ministry will organize in cooperation with Syrian medical firms an exhibition of Syrian medicines," INA said.

It said the exhibition would continue for three days.

The fair is another sign of the thaw in relations between the two countries, which are ruled by two different rival branches of the Baath party. Diplomatic ties were broken in 1982.

In April, a delegation of Syrian businessmen travel led to Baghdad in the first sign of rapprochement, which Baghdad desires as way to break out of its post-Gulf war isolation. Last month, the previously sealed border between the two countries was reopened.

Mr. Mohammed Said Al Sahhaf, the Iraqi Foreign Minister said, "we want to turn a new page with Syria, to fully reestablish ties and reopen embassies."