Iraq Willing to Do Business With Kuwaiti Companies: ReportsIn a rare friendly move, Iraqi Trade Minister Mohammad Mehdi Salah said that Iraq is willing to do business with Kuwaiti companies within the framework of the United Nations oil-for-food program, local media reported Monday.During a recent session of the Iraqi National Assembly (parliament), Salah said that there are no restrictions for Kuwaiti companies if they present requests to the Iraqi authorities to export goods to the U.N. sanctions-hit country under the oil-for-food program, the reports said. The program allows Iraq to sell crude in return for vital imports of basic humanitarian supplies such as food and medicine. Iraq gives priority to developing trade ties with Arab countries, Salah said, adding that the trade volume between Iraq and other Arab countries makes up more than 45 percent of its total foreign trade dealings. This has been regarded as a friendly gesture by Iraq to try to soothe the rising tension between Iraq and Kuwait, which was briefly occupied by Iraqi forces in 1990. Tensions have mounted between the two neighbors recently after the two accused each other of stealing oil along their borders, with Iraq threatening to take "necessary" measures against its tiny neighbor. Kuwait has reacted strongly and accused Iraq of trying to trigger a new regional war, referring to similar grievance from Iraq that led to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait 10 years ago. Moreover, Iraq has repeatedly condemned Kuwait and Saudi Arabia as "full culprits" by collaborating with the U.S. and Britain to attack Iraq because the two countries host U.S. and British warplanes enforcing the no-fly zones over southern and northern Iraq. Iraq has never recognized the no-fly zones imposed by the U.S.-led Western troops in the wake of the 1991 Gulf War. |
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