Iraq, Egypt to boost oil cooperation

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Egyptian Ministry of Oil expressed its willingness to help modernize Iraq’s oil capabilities, an official Iraqi spokesperson said. “Minister of Oil Hussein al-Shahrestani discussed with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Fahmi mutual cooperation between the two countries in the oil field,” a media spokesperson for the Iraqi Ministry of Oil, Aasem Jihad, told IraqiNews.com. A delegation comprising representatives of specialized Egyptian companies will pay a field visit to Iraq to explore opportunities of mutual cooperation, Jihad noted. On Sunday, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki received the Egyptian ministers of foreign affairs and oil, Ahmed Aboul Gheit and Fahmi, and discussed with them means of enhancing bilateral cooperation in the political, security, economic and trade fields. Yesterday, the Egyptian officials arrived in Iraq on an unannounced visit to meet with the Iraqi president and premier in the highest-ranking visit by an Egyptian delegation since 1990. SS (S) 1