Syrian - Iraqi contract level stalls amid competition

Fawzi El-Zaher, the manager of the Iraqi department at the Damascus International Exhibition said that the value of Iraqi contracts signed with Syria since the beginning of reconciliation between Damascus and Baghdad last year is still at $120 million because of competition in prices and quality from products made in Turkey, Egypt, Cyprus and Jordan.

He said he hopes the Syrian commercial center that will be soon opened in the middle of Baghdad contributes to ratifying new transactions as well as increasing commercial exchange.

He also added that a delegation under the chairmanship of the secretary of the Syrian trade chambers unions, Abdul Rahman al-Ataar, is discussing in the Iraqi capital the final arrangements for reopening the center after a rupture that lasted 18 years. Similar procedures have been taken to open the Iraqi commercial center in the middle of the Syrian capital.

Meanwhile, Syria is currently heading toward restoring diplomatic relations with Iraq after the improvement that has recently taken place in these relations.

Diplomatic sources in Baghdad said yesterday that a delegation from the Syrian Foreign Ministry will arrive in Baghdad on Tuesday to check the Syrian embassy.