topics
tools
Expatica countries
Index Last Var.(%)
BEL 20 2270.63 -0.42
DAX 6788.8 0.59
IBEX 30 8902.1 0.60
CAC 40 3424.71 0.43
FTSE 100 5895.47 0.33
AEX 325.12 -0.06
DJIA 12890.46 0.05
Nasdaq 2927.23 0.39
FTSE MIB 16653.83 -0.09
TSX Composite 12497.94 -0.18
ASX 4322.6 -0.79
Hang seng 20756.97 -1.20
Straits Times 2961.12 -0.67
ISEQ 20 503.71 0.33
You are here: Home News French News French PM seeks to raise business profile in Iraq

French News

archive
Enlarge font Decrease font Text size


03/07/2009French PM seeks to raise business profile in Iraq

French Prime Minister Francois Fillon made a visit to Baghdad seeking to raise France's profile in Iraq.

Baghdad – French Prime Minister Francois Fillon made a lightning visit to Baghdad on Thursday with a delegation of officials and business leaders seeking to raise France's profile in Iraq.

"Iraqis were keen to remove themselves from American guardianship, and that is because they want to do business with other investors that they know well, among them the French," a Fillon aide told journalists.

Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said his country was looking forward to France playing a key role in its oil-dependent economy.

"Our country wants France to be a strategic partner, particularly in trade, and Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has indicated his desire to see bilateral relations grow significantly."

Fillon, whose country opposed the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, arrived just two days after US troops withdrew from urban areas under a security pact that will see them leave the country by the end of 2011.

His visit also came after Iraq managed to close only one of several deals for foreign energy giants to participate in developing the country's extensive oil and gas resources.

An aide to the French premier said there is significant corporate interest in Iraq, although there are lingering concerns over security in a country that is still seeing deadly violence on a daily basis.

"Security is the major worry for the French," he said.

Even so, "if we had wanted, we could have brought along the entire CAC 40," he said in reference to the stock market index of France's major companies. "No one turned down an invitation."

Fillon, who spent just a few hours in the Iraqi capital, said: "No-one should fear the rise of Iraq. A peaceful Iraq, reconciled with itself, is a force for stability in the region."

Among those travelling with Fillon and Finance Minister Christine Lagarde were the heads of oil major Total, the Lafarge building materials group and European aerospace giant EADS.

After meeting Maliki in Baghdad, Fillon travelled to Sulaimaniyah in Iraqi Kurdistan to meet President Jalal Talabani who, the French prime minister announced, will make a state visit to Iraq in November.

Several memorandums of understanding were signed during Fillon's visit, chiefly on technical cooperation in domestic security and the military sector, an aide said.

France undertook to help Iraq in its application to join the World Trade Organisation and to support proposals for a trade partnership between Iraq and the European Union.

The French premier's trip follows a visit by Maliki to Paris in May, while French President Nicolas Sarkozy was in Iraq in February, on the first such visit ever by a French head of state.

AFP / Expatica


0 reactions to this article

Be the first person to add a comment

General rating: Not rated yet

Rate article:    Add my rating


0 reactions to this article

Be the first person to add a comment
Discussion Forums

Jobs in France

IFAs / FSIs / Country Managers / Confidential Introducers

Immigration and Legal Problems

Blocked Sewer Line outside property boundary - who pays ?

Sporting Events in France

Counter Strike!

Community Noticeboard France | Expat Events

migration to belgium!

Americans in France

Expatriate Events in Paris

participate in the forums

Inside Expatica
Management culture in France

Management culture in France

This handy guide from Expertise in Labour Mobility includes information on business hierarchy, negotiations, and etiquette.

American associations and clubs in Paris

American associations and clubs in Paris

A listing of organizations in the Paris area that cater primarily to Americans living in France. Updated April 2011.

British associations and clubs in Paris

British associations and clubs in Paris

Our handy guide to the British community in Paris, from cricket clubs to Scottish country dancing lessons to where to find a jar of Marmite.

Anglophone services in France

Anglophone services in France

Here's a short introduction to our Banking section for those living in France, from how to open a bank account to Islamic banking and investments.