Turkish firms will hold a medical supplies fair in Iraq next week in a new sign of Ankara's drive to revitalize trade with its sanctions-hit southern neighbor, the Ankara chamber of industry announced Friday, September 7.
"The fair will be effective in penetrating into the Iraqi market, which is in a serious shortage of medicines and medical supplies," the statement said. The four-day fair, organized at the suggestion proposal of the Iraqi health minister, was scheduled to open on Monday in Baghdad. More than 20 Turkish companies, among them leading business group Eczacibasi, were to take part in the event, ASO said.
Turkey, a member of NATO and host to US and British jets which patrol a no-fly zone over northern Iraq, has in recent months worked actively to restore economic cooperation with Baghdad, which has been under an international embargo since the 1991 Gulf War.
Ankara puts its losses due to the embargo at about $35 billion and says that the sanctions should be eased. Turkey and Iraq have held a series of talks to boost bilateral trade and several delegations of Turkish businessmen have visited Iraq.
Ankara and Baghdad have also restored train services between the two countries. They are also planning to open in a year a second border post to help the enhancement of trade. –(AFP, Ankara)
© Agence France Presse 2001
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
