21.07.2000, MEDIAMAX, YEREVAN. The temporal attorney of Armenia to Iraq Murad Muktirian arrived on July 20 in the capital of Iraq, Baghdad, to take part in the opening ceremony of the embassy of Armenia, was informed to MEDIAMAX from diplomatic sources.
Armenia began to activate relations with Iraq in 1999. In October 1999 the counselor of the foreign minister of Armenia David Hovhannesian, being on a visit in Baghdad, declared that a trade office of Armenia will be opened in Baghdad in the near future. Hovhannesian also said that is it very urgent for Armenia to find new commodity markets in Iraq, in particular, within the framework of the UN program - "Oil in return for food-stuffs".
In May 2000 foreign minister Vardan Oskanian received the delegation of Iraq headed by the first deputy foreign minister of Iraq Nuri Ismayil Taha Al Ways. In the course of the meeting the interlocutors stressed that there is a great potential for economic cooperation between Iraq and Armenia. In particular, cooperation in the trade, industry and power engineering spheres was mentioned.
According to the spokesman of the ministry of foreign affairs of Armenia Ara Papian, Armenia and Iraq will develop market relations in the spheres which are not sanctioned by UN. -0-