The governments of Iraq and Syria have approved the establishment of two new joint road and maritime companies, reported the official Syrian Al-Baath newspaper. Syria’s Minister of Transportation Makram Obeid and his Iraqi counterpart Ahmad Murtada signed contracts setting up the two joint ventures in March 2001.
Iraq and Syria signed a free trade agreement in 2001. In August 2001, the two countries signed accords to launch seven joint companies in the industrial, pharmaceutical and telecommunications fields, and agreed to cooperate in the sectors of transportation, medicine and trade.
In the first nine months of the year 2001, Syrian exports to Iraq totaled $1.35 billion, more than double the total for the whole of 2000, reported the official Syrian Tishrin daily. — (menareport.com)
© 2002 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
