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Iraqi Vice President Visits Egypt for Trade Deal
Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan arrived in Cairo on Tuesday, becoming the highest ranking Iraqi official to visit Egypt since the 1991 Gulf War.
Ramadan, accompanied by the ministers of trade, transport and agriculture, was expected to sign a free trade agreement with Egypt, and to meet with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Speaking to reporters upon arrival, he said that Iraq was giving priority to Arab countries in trade under the United Nations oil- for-food program, which allows Iraq to export crude to import food, medicine and other essential goods.
He voiced his country's hope that the coming phase would witness the settlement of all inter-Arab differences in order to reunify the Arab ranks.
He also expressed belief that his visit would positively reflect on cooperation not only between Iraq and Egypt but also on Arab- Arab relations.
Baghdad severed diplomatic ties with Cairo after Egypt joined a multi-national coalition force which ousted Iraqi troops out of Kuwait in the Gulf War 10 years ago. On November 7, 2000, the two countries restored the relations.
During Ramadan's visit, a deal is expected to be signed on the establishment of a free trade zone between Egypt and Iraq, as part of the efforts aimed at removing tariffs in the whole Arab world, according to Egyptian media reports.
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