The Philippines will seek greater participation in a United Nations-sanctioned oil-for-food program in Iraq, the foreign office in manila said Tuesday, August 14. This will be among the topics tabled for discussion between Foreign Secretary Teofisto Gingona and visiting Iraqi Minister for Housing and Building Maan Abadallah Sarsam on Wednesday, the office said.
Sarsam, who heads a large Iraqi delegation, left Baghdad early Tuesday and his visit is aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation between both states, it added. Iraq suffered heavily from an economic embargo imposed by the UN following the Gulf war in 1990. The sanctions have since been partially lifted by allowing Iraq to export oil in order to buy food and other humanitarian requirements.
The Philippines participated in the program only recently, when a local firm was allowed to export some $2.4 million worth of agricultural equipment for irrigation systems in Iraq, the foreign office said. But local oil companies have also expressed interest to participate in the program by importing Iraqi oil, which the foreign office said was being sold a dollar less than the prevailing world crude rate. ― (AFP, Manila)
© Agence France Presse 2001
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
