Arab, international participation in Baghdad exposition

Hundreds of Arab and foreign businessmen on Sunday took part in the inauguration of Baghdad's international exposition in an unprecedented demonstration during eight years of UN sanctions. Some 30 countries, including 13 Arab state, are taking part.

Among the participating foreign countries are France, Italy, Turkey, Iran, China, Argentina, India, Greece, Spain, Yugoslavia and Indonesia. It was in 1994 when only 6 countries took part in the same exposition which was held then for the first time under the embargo.

Among Arab ministers who attended the inauguration of the exposition were Jordanian Minister of Trade and Industry Muhammad Saleh al-Hourani, Tunisian Trade Minister al-Munzir al-Zneidi, Syrian Industry Minister Ahmad Nizameddine, and Sudanese Justice Minister Ali Muhammad Othman Yassin. Iranian Trade Minister Muhammad Sharit Madari, Turkish State Minister Muhammad Batali also attended, and ministers of trade from Morocco, Algeria, and Lebanon are to arrive later in Baghdad.

Despite the boycotted relations between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, the Saudi company al-Saqir has displayed hydraulic equipment in the pavilion in which the company hoisted the Saudi and Iraqi flags and two enlarged photographs of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and Saudi Arabia's King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz.

Other four Saudi companies are taking part in the pavilion dedicated to the United Arab Emirates. Oman is represented by more than 50 companies.