JP\/ \/13postwar<\/p>\n
Govt aims to supply post-war Iraq market<\/p>\n
Zakki Hakim
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesia is in a better position than most other countries to
\nsupply certain commodities, including food and textiles, to Iraq
\nafter the war, given the warm trading relations both countries
\nhave enjoyed in the past, several government officials said on
\nTuesday.<\/p>\n
Djasdi Darwis, the chairman of the Indonesian Trade Promotion
\nCenter (ITPC) in Dubai, said that prior to the 1991 Gulf War,
\nIndonesia had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for a
\ncountertrade, in which Indonesia would import 30,000 barrels of
\noil per day from Iraq in exchange for commodities such as
\ntextiles, timber, tin and crude palm oil.<\/p>\n
But the agreement was frozen after the 1991 Gulf War.<\/p>\n
"As far as I know, we were the only country having this kind
\nof an agreement with Iraq during those years," he said, adding
\nthat Indonesia could ask to reactivate the MOU after the war.<\/p>\n
Iraqis still consider Indonesians as friends given Indonesia's
\nopposition to the 1991 Gulf War and the current U.S.-led attacks,
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
The chairperson of the ministry's National Agency for Export
\nDevelopment (NAFED), Diah Maulida, concurred, saying that the
\nfact that the majority of Indonesians shared a similar religion
\nwith most of the Iraqis would also put Indonesia in an
\nadvantageous position to compete for the market.<\/p>\n
"If, after the war, the embargo on Iraq is lifted then
\nIndonesia has a very good chance of dominating the market with
\ncertain commodities.<\/p>\n
"For instance, we could supply them with our halal (permitted
\nunder Islamic law) food," she said.<\/p>\n
Djasdi said most of the projects in rebuilding post-war Iraq
\nwould go to companies in the United States and its allies, but
\nthe countries would not be able to keep the market to themselves.<\/p>\n
Therefore, Indonesia still has a chance to grab a share of the
\nmarket, he said.<\/p>\n
"We must be proactive. Otherwise, other countries will do so
\nand we will get left out," he said.<\/p>\n
However, he did not explain how Indonesia could secure some of
\nthe rebuilding projects as they will all be reportedly controlled
\nby the U.S. government.<\/p>\n
Despite the fact that the war is far from being over, reports
\nhave said the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
\nhas awarded contracts for the projects to U.S. firms.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp-13postwar-1447899208",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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