FTZ on Iraq Border Planned |
|
Network this!
Text Size 
A senior Iranian official says Iran plans to set up a free trade zone (FTZ) on its border with Iraq and also open an Iraqi trade office in Tehran.
Mehdi Ghazanfari, head of Iran's Trade Development Organization, in a meeting with Iraqi Trade Minister Abdul Fallah al-Sudani on Thursday in Tehran offered the proposals, adding that Iranian companies are ready to participate in trade fairs in Iraqi cities.
Trade between the two countries, which have a 1,200-kilometer border, has increased in recent years, from $1.5 billion in 2006 to $2.8 billion in 2007. It is expected to reach $4 billion by the end of 2008.
The Iraqi minister welcomed the offers, noting that the Iraqi trade office in Tehran could facilitate registration of companies in the two neighboring states.
Economic Cooperation
In another development, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih arrived in Tehran on Wednesday for a three-day visit.
The Iraqi delegation, including ministers and government officials, discussed a number of economic and trade agreements that could help broaden cooperation in different fields.
Trade between Iran and Iraq is expected to reach $4 billion in 2008 as their economic cooperation continues to rise. Iran exported nearly $2.8 billion worth of goods to Iraq in 2007, of which approximately $1 billion was imported via the Iraqi Kurdistan region.
On Sunday, the prime minister of Iraq's Kurdistan regional government, Nechirvan Barzani arrived in Tehran to attend a conference on Iraqi reconstruction and met with Saeed Jalili, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council.
"Iraq needs Iran's help to reconstruct and develop its infrastructure. We seek to increase Iranian investment in Iraq," Barzani said at the conference.
Falah Mustafa, an Iraqi Kurd official in charge of foreign relations, said that Tehran-Kurdistan relations were the main focus on talks between the two sides during the conference as well as calls on Iranian businessmen to invest further in Kurdistan.
According to Presstv, Hassan Danaeifar, the secretary of special taskforce for development of Iran-Iraq trade also said that the two Muslim states have launched seven border points with trade terminals and constructed several roads during past two years to facilitate trade exchanges between the two oil-rich nations.
Iraq imports a wide variety of goods from Iran including construction materials, medicines, fruits and spices, fish, air conditioners, office furniture, carpets and apparels.
Iranian Loan
During his visit to Baghdad in March, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad offered a $1 billion loan to Iraq for projects that would be handled by Iranian firms.
Iranian banks also agreed to facilitate LC opening for Iraqi tradesmen in Iran, laying down incentives for bolstering further economic cooperation.
An Iraqi newspaper wrote Saturday that during the latest visit of Iraqi deputy prime minister to Iran the two sides agreed on establishment of a regional cooperation organization.
Quoting an Iraqi government source, who attended the meetings in Tehran, the 'Al-Mada' newspaper said in a meeting between Barham Salih and Iran's Secretary of Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili the issue was discussed and the two sides reached an agreement on it.
The Iraqi official, whose name was not disclosed, said the aim of such an organization is to create a common ground for cooperation among Iraq's neighbors.
The paper wrote that during the meetings and consultations, the issue of progress in Iraq security affairs was also underlined and the two sides emphasized that promoting stability in Iraq is an important factor for developing cooperation in the fields of investment and construction.
Barham Salih, who has visited Iran several times in the past, said, "In the past years consultations were 80 percent on security issues and only 20 percent on economic cooperation while it has been changed now to 20 and 80 respectively.
Saleh added, "It is in Iraq's interest to consult with its neighbors to remove misunderstandings."
Transport Network
Head of Iran-Iraq Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mines Hassan Tizmaghz on Thursday held talks with Iraqi Trade Minister Abdul Falah al-Sodani on issues of mutual interest.
Tizmaghz called for bolstering the transportation network between the two countries. "Iran has proposed to establish a joint transport company in Iraq and is waiting for the Iraqi government's reply," he said.
Tizmaghz also voiced Iran's readiness to make investment in Iraq's holy cities.
On Iraq's economy, al-Sodani said economic recovery is currently underway in his country and that Iraq's budget has increased from $30 billion in 2005 to $47 billion in 2007.
According to him, Iraqi firms are keen to cooperate with their Iranian counterparts and grounds have been paved for Iranian investments in Iraq.
Barham Salih visited Iran heading a high ranking Iraqi delegation, including ministers of energy and commerce.
In his two-day visit, he met with President Ahmadinejad, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and Secretary of SNSC Saeed Jalili to discuss implementing economic agreements.
© Iran Daily 2008
Community Comments (0) - 
Comment on this article 
Comment on this article
The opinions of the authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect Zawya. Read our Comment Policy.
Loading ...
Zawya Comment Policy:
-
Zawya encourages you to add a comment to this discussion. You agree that when you add content to this discussion your comments will not:
1.1 Contain any material which is libelous or defamatory of any person, is obscene, offensive, hateful or inflammatory or causes damage to the reputation of any person or organisation.
1.2 Promote sexually explicit material, violence, discrimination based on race, sex, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or age or any illegal activity.
1.3 Be made in breach of any legal duty owed to a third party, such as a contractual duty or a duty of confidence.
1.4 Be threatening, abuse or invade another's privacy, or cause annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety.
1.5 Be used to impersonate any person, to misrepresent your identity or affiliation with any person, or be likely to deceive any person.
1.6 Give the impression that they represent Zawya.
1.7 Advocate, promote or assist any unlawful act such as (by way of example only) copyright infringement or computer misuse. - The content posted on www.zawya.com is created by members of the public. The views expressed are theirs and unless specifically stated are not those of Zawya. Zawya reserves the right to review all comments prior to posting and edit or delete any contribution, but Zawya is not responsible for and can not be held liable for any content posted by members of the public on www.zawya.com.
- Zawya is not responsible for the availability or content of any third party sites that are accessible through www.zawya.com. Any links to third party websites from www.zawya.com do not amount to any endorsement of that site by Zawya and any use of that site by you is at your own risk.
- By submitting your comment, you hereby give Zawya the right, but not the obligation, to post, air, edit, exhibit, telecast, webcast, re-use, publish, reproduce, use, license, print, distribute or otherwise use your comments worldwide, in perpetuity.
Loading ...
Post Your Tender Notices for FREE
(No Sign-in Required)
Zawya Tenders is a Tender Notices service entirely driven by contribution
from issuers in both public and private sectors. It is not an e-tendering service and is entirely FREE.
As an Issuer, you can benefit from posting an unlimited number of Tender
Notices for FREE and reaching out to an online community of bidders.
The service also offers you a tool to track the interest of bidders to your
tenders 'live' online.
from issuers in both public and private sectors. It is not an e-tendering service and is entirely FREE.
As an Issuer, you can benefit from posting an unlimited number of Tender
Notices for FREE and reaching out to an online community of bidders.
The service also offers you a tool to track the interest of bidders to your
tenders 'live' online.
| Tender Notice | Due Date |
Community Buzz
Stories
Companies
Most viewed companies by Community in the last 24 hrs
| Company Name | Country | Industry |
| Consolidated Contractors Company | Overseas | Construction and Design |
| Saudi Binladin Group | Saudi Arabia | Construction and Design |
| Saudi Telecom | Saudi Arabia | Telecommunications Services |
| Saudi Electricity Company | Saudi Arabia | Electric Utilities |
| Emirates Aluminium Company | UAE | Metal Production |
| Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority | UAE | Electric Utilities |
| Emirates Telecommunications Corporation | UAE | Telecommunications Services |
| Al Azizia Panda United Company | Saudi Arabia | General Retailers |
| Commercial International Bank (Egypt) | Egypt | Banking |
| Dodsal Engineering and Construction | UAE | Construction and Design |
Projects
Most viewed projects by Community in the last 24 hrs
| Project Name | Country | Sector |
| Takreer - Ruwais Refinery Expansion | UAE | Oil and Gas |
| Al Futtaim Carillion - Marina Hotel (Yas Island) | UAE | Real Estate |
| Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) - Smelter Complex - Phase 1 | UAE | Industry |
| Abu Dhabi DOT - Abu Dhabi Metro | UAE | Infrastructure |
| ENEC - Nuclear Power Plant | UAE | Power and Water |
| SATORP - Jubail Refinery and Petrochemical Complex | Saudi Arabia | Oil and Gas |
| Dubai RTA - Dubai Metro | UAE | Infrastructure |
| Al Safwa - Jeddah Cement Plant | Saudi Arabia | Industry |
| Qatar Bahrain Causeway Foundation - Qatar Bahrain Causeway | Bahrain | Infrastructure |
| Qatar Bahrain Causeway Foundation - Qatar Bahrain Causeway | Qatar | Infrastructure |