كتب: saleem في يوم الجمعة, 02 فبراير, 2007 - 09:41 PM BT
Iraq-WTO-Update 1
Iraq to discuss trade regulations with WTO soon
By Hadi al-Hadi
(Adds official's statement)
Amman, Feb 2, (VOI) –Iraq will start several preparatory meetings with the world Trade Organization (WTO) soon on the way for Iraq's joining of the WTO, an Iraqi foreign ministry official said on Friday.
"The Iraqi high committee will soon go to the WTO headquarters in Switzerland to discuss the trade regulations necessary for Iraq's joining of the WTO," Ambassador Surud Najuib told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
The talks would include proposed changes required within the Iraqi trade regulations to meet the standards set by the World Trade Organization to pave the way before Iraq to join the organization, Ambassador Najuib said.
Iraq has made every effort to meet the standards set by the World Trade Organization in an attempt to enjoy the organization membership.
On Thursday, a conference in the Jordanian capital Amman discussed Iraq's joining of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Held by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in tandem with the Iraqi-U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Industry, under the aegis of Microsoft, the 1st preparatory conference on Iraq's accession to WTO focused on the issue of investment in Iraq, which was approved by the Iraqi parliament.
"The meeting reviewed new investment opportunities and Iraq's accession to the WTO as member, not as an observer as is the case now," Greg Howell, Global Development Alliance Advisor USAID/Iraq, told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
Howell said "by the end of February Iraq will attend its first session with the WTO," noting he had met several times with Iraqi officials and ministers concerned, which is part of the USAID's activities."
"We are now working with Iraqi banks to practice up-to-date banking as well as laying guarantees for loans," said the USAID official.
He pointed out that the USAID's objectives through working with the Iraqi government envisage increasing the number of investment companies, creating jobs for unemployed Iraqis, laying the foundations for an investment climate that would benefit the Iraqi government and making it easy for international companies to come to Iraq.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the Iraqi ministries of trade and foreign affairs as well as Iraqi companies and foreign investors
