In a major blow to US occupation efforts, the American backed Destination Baghdad Expo for companies involved in the reconstruction of Iraq was postponed on Thursday due to security concerns. The event was scheduled to open on April 5, 2004.
Sponsored by the Iraqi American Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the event's cancellation came a day after the murder of four US contractors city of Falluja. Five US Marines died the same day in a roadside bombing near Habbaniya in the Fallujah area, the US military reported.
The recent violence was a cause for concern among many international organizations operating in Iraq. No new date was set for the trade fair.
The event, to be held at the Baghdad International Fair grounds, is meant to provide opportunities for Iraqi companies to directly interface with foreign firms as opposed to going through middle-man agents. However, many companies are weary of attending since the site of the event was a targeted by rockets last month. — (menareport.com)
© 2004 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
