$800 million in Egyptian exports to Iraq next year

Egyptian Minister of Public Enterprise Mokhtar Khatab said it was agreed with the Iraqi government in the framework of the oil for food agreement to increase the Egyptian exports to Iraq to nearly $800 million during the year 2000 in comparison to $400 million dollars in the current year.

He added that he headed the talks to revitalize trade between Egypt and Iraq in the frame of the works of the joint Iraqi - Egyptian committee on October 30 through November 2 and that the bilateral meetings confirmed a high political desire on the part of Iraq's government and instructions from high-ranking officials in the government to increase commercial transactions with the Egyptian companies in the oil-for-food program.