Oman's Commerce and Industry Minister Maqbool bin Ali bin Sultan arrived in Baghdad on Monday for the first visit to Iraq by a member of the sultanate's government since the 1991 Gulf War.
The minister was greeted at the airport by his Iraqi counterpart Mohammad Mehdi Saleh, reported the Oman Observer newspaper.
The Omani minister is to hold talks on expanding trade and joint investments, and a joint committee will meet for the first time since 1989 during his four-day visit.
The sultanate in 2000 exported an estimated $20 million worth of goods to Iraq under the UN "oil-for-food" program, which allows Baghdad to export crude to finance imports of essential goods.
Prior to his departure from Muscat, Sultan said the visit was in response to an invitation from his Iraqi counterpart, and would also include talks with the Iraqi ministers of industry, minerals and finance, said the paper.
The overall objective was to see Oman's private sector playing a key role in developing economic and commercial relations with Iraq, he said.
"We believe there are good opportunities for cooperation with Iraq, particularly under the United Nations oil-for-food program. There are several Arab and foreign countries that have made use of this program to export large amounts of various types of goods to Iraq. Oman has participated in this program as well, but to a limited extent," he noted.
Omani exports to Iraq have been on the increase in recent years, he said, adding that there was a potential for significantly higher volumes of trade with Baghdad.
Asked about a possible free trade pact with Iraq, similar to those signed by Baghdad with Egypt, Syria and Tunisia, he said the "Sultanate and Iraq are both members of the Pan Arab Free Trade Zone. Any bilateral agreement between the two countries would be good for both."
He also said there was a proposal to establish an Omani trade office in the Iraqi capital, pointing out that the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) was studying a plan to set up an office and a pavilion in Baghdad.
"The Sultanate's government welcomes such initiatives," the minister said - Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
