The government needs to open more border crossing posts with Jordan and Turkey as the violence in Syria has destabilized the country's trade exchange with Iraq, said an MP.
As the security situation in Syria has deteriorated, the Iraqi businessmen cannot import from Syria anymore, said Mahma Khalil, a Kurdish MP at the economy and investment committee of the Iraqi House of Representatives.

Khalil continued the Iraqi businessmen are local and depend more on imports from Syria.

He urged the ministries of planning and trade to consider other alternatives in order to maintain the balance in the Iraqi markets.

The MP thought the best solution is that the government opens more border points with Jordan and Turkey for imports to the Iraqi markets.

Khalil said both Iran and Syria are under international sanctions for trade exchange. Therefore, trade exchange with these two countries is not in the interest of Iraqi economy and "it should be reduced."

Iraqi-Syrian trade exchange in 2011 reached over $1b, which enhanced more after signing a protocol between the Baghdad and Damascus in transportation and health sectors.















AKnews