TNAG-1030-FCO40-1280-Proposed-visit-by-Humphrey-Atkins--Lord-Privy-Seal--to-Hong--1981 — Page 204

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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HER BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT

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16 July 1981

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OFFICIAL COMMITTEE ON EXPORTS

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WI RAO

INITIATING PAPER ON SECRETARY OF STATE FOR

TRADE'S VISIT TO IRAQ

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-7 OCTOBER 1981

MEMORANDUM BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRADE

Introduction

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The timing of the visit is dictated by the Baghdad Trade Fair. It had been hoped to add a visit to Qatar, but the timing of the Id holiday has now ruled this out.

2 After a series of bad patches our political and commercial relations with Iraq have recently improved strikingly. It is now our fastest growing market in the Middle East. British exports last year totalled £321 m (7.5% of OECD exports); this year they should exceed £500 m. Despite the Gulf war, the Iraqis are undertaking an ambitious and rapid development programme. There are no export credit problems of note, and no significant bilateral commercial problems.

3 The objectives of Mr Biffen's visit would be:

(a) to consolidate the greatly improved commercial relations

following the Iraqi Minister for Trade's successful visit to London in June;

(b) to co-preside formally at the first meeting of the

Joint Commission established under the Economic Cooperation Agreement signed in London in June, thereby giving it the "Ministerial"aegis to which the Iraqis attach great importance; (the substantive work will have been done by officials the previous week).

(c) to support bids by British firms for a number of

important project contracts, listed below;

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(a)

to support the (record) 120 British firms exhibiting at the Baghdad Trade Fair, and to preside at the British day on 5 October.

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