More Turkish Contracts Are Given Priority In Iraq By U.N.

ANKARA - State Minister Kursad Tuzmen said on Sunday that more Turkish contracts were given priority in Iraq by the United Nations (U.N).
Tuzmen made a statement in which he said that exports to Iraq rapidly increased after sanctions imposed on that country by the U.N. were lifted on May 22, 2003.
Turkey's efforts to make U.N. Office of the Iraq Programme (OIP) give priority to contracts of Turkish companies yielded positive results, Tuzmen noted.
Tuzmen said that OIP included Turkish contracts worth of 102 million U.S. dollars in the list of prior contracts.
OIP had given priority to 77 percent of Turkish contracts so far, Tuzmen stated.
Tuzmen said that they were launching necessary initiatives to enable OIP to give priority to contracts of Turkish companies for construction of hospitals and dwellings as soon as possible.
Projects undertaken by Turkish companies in Iraq other than projects undertaken within the auspices of the U.N. were worth of 200 million U.S. dollars, Tuzmen pointed out.
Tuzmen said that Turkish companies undertaken management of a part of Basra Port.
Exports from Turkey to Iraq reached 500 million U.s. dollars between January 1 and September 15 despite three-month interruption, Tuzmen stressed.
Tuzmen said that exports to Iraq rose by 42 percent in the mentioned period when compared with the same period of the previous year.
Exports from Turkey to Iraq could reach 1 billion U.S. dollars by the end of the year if all projects were put into practice, Tuzmen pointed out.
Tuzmen added that they wanted to make Iraq one of biggest market of contracting firms.
(BRC) 28.09.2003