Iraq Launches Free Trade Area near Border with SyriaIraqi Trade Minister Mohammad Mehdi Salah inaugurated on Monday a free trade area in Al-Ka'em city near the border with Syria in a bid to enhance the bilateral economic and trade ties.The free trade area, 400 kilometers northwest of Baghdad, will render Iraq and Syria a single area under an agreement on boosting trade exchange, the Iraqi News Agency quoted Saleh as saying. The area will serve the two countries' citizens and investors as it will facilitate the movement of goods and commodities from Syria to Iraq, he said. Meanwhile, the Iraqi minister pointed out that France will no longer enjoy Iraq's preferential treatment due to its support for the proposed "smart sanctions" on Iraq. In the coming stage, Syria, Jordan, Turkey and Russia will enjoy the preferential treatment in their trade with Iraq for their rejection of the U.S.-British proposal, he added. Iraqi President Saddam Hussein ordered that the countries that " took the side of the Arab rights" should be preferred in the trade and economic contracts with Iraq, according to Saleh. |
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