Damascus, SANA-
The meeting of the Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade, Dr. Muhammad Samer Al-Khalil, with the Iraqi Minister of Industry and Minerals Manhal Aziz Al-Khabbaz focused today on the mechanisms for developing trade exchange between the two countries and overcoming difficulties and obstacles to ensure that the Syrian product of all kinds reaches the Iraqi markets and vice versa.
Minister Al-Khalil explained during a meeting between the two sides at the ministry building in Damascus that the development of cooperation between the two countries at the industrial level is later reflected on the economic level and the volume of trade exchange and investment cooperation to be an added value in developing relations between the two countries.
For his part, the Iraqi Minister of Industry and Minerals indicated that the aim of these meetings is to create real opportunities for the possibility of expanding trade exchange and industrial cooperation, pointing out that more details will be discussed in a manner commensurate with the legislation and laws governing the two countries to reach future economic and industrial integration between the two countries.
In a press statement after the meeting, Minister Al-Khalil indicated that the volume of trade exchange between Syria and Iraq “is still below ambition,” and today’s meeting comes within the framework of a series of important and necessary meetings held with the Iraqi delegation at the official government level and with the business sector and industrial companies to reach industrial integration. What Syria and Iraq have of products.
In a similar statement, Minister Al-Khabbaz explained that with regard to the possibility of facilitating customs duties related to Syrian goods exported to Iraq, this will be discussed with the concerned authorities in Iraq to reach everything that would facilitate the arrival of the Syrian product to Iraq and in the interest of the two countries and expand the volume of trade exchange in addition to protecting the product local Iraqi.
The meeting was attended from the Syrian side by the Assistant Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade for International Relations Rania Ahmed and the Vice-President of the Planning and International Cooperation Authority Dr. Thoraya Idlebi and from the Iraqi side by the advisor to the Minister of Industry and Minerals Ammar Al-Janabi and his advisor for development and planning affairs Qaisar Oklah and the Undersecretary of the Ministry Makki Al-Diri and the Chargé d'Affairs at the Iraqi Embassy in Damascus Yassin Sharif Al-Hujaimi.