BAGHDAD, (ST)- A number of Iraqi businessmen have stressed that boosting economic cooperation and trade exchange between Syria and Iraq would help confront challenges facing the two countries.

The remarks were made as more than 100 Iraqi companies and businessmen are getting ready to take part in the 61^st Damascus International Fair due to be held between August 28^th and September 6^th, 2019.

Sa'd al-Nou'man, an Iraqi businessman who took part in several DIF editions, told SANA correspondent in Baghdad that "Damascus International Fair is a unique economic phenomenon in the Middle East in terms of comprehensiveness."

DAMASCUS, (ST)- The 3^rd Bloudan Tourism Festival, which concludes its activities today, contained several cultural, social and economic events.

"Made in Syria" exhibition, which accompanied the festival, was an important economic event that provided an opportunity to some companies working in the domain of food, clothing, detergents, housewares and stationary to market their products in competitive prices, particularly in the light of the big number of visitors to the town of Bloudan.

Baghdad- Head of the Federation of Iraqi Chambers of Commerce, Abdul Razzaq Al-Zuhairi, confirmed the desire of a large number of Iraqi companies, businessmen, traders, suppliers and exporters to participate in the sixty-first session of the Damascus International Fair (DIF).

Mr. Al-Zuhairi pointed out during a meeting with the Syrian ambassador in Baghdad, Sattam Jadaan Al-Dandah, that the DIF has a long-standing, authenticity and leadership in international trade fairs. He indicated that the Iraqi market is in urgent need of Syrian goods because it is the demand of the Iraqi public for its high quality that exceeds many of its imported foreign counterparts.

For his part, Mr. Al-Dandah stressed the importance of upgrading the levels of economic cooperation and trade exchange between the two countries for the benefit of the two peoples and facing common challenges.

He also pointed out that the reopening of the Al -Bukamal- Al -Qaim border crossing will provide plenty opportunities for the movement of goods and restore economic activity.

The meeting was attended by members of the Federation of Iraqi Chambers of Commerce and heads of chambers of commerce of the provinces.

Sh. Kh.

The Minister of Electricity Mohammmad Zuheir Kharbotli announced on Tuesday that constructional works preparing for the infrastructure of a power generation station at al-Rasteen village in Lattakia countryside has started. The MAPNA Group of Iran will carry out the project.

The project consists of three generating sets, two of them gas and the third is steam with a total capacity of 540 Mega Watt and a total cost of 213 billion SYP on a 400 dunms plot. The project will be executed in 3 years.

Within the governments’ efforts to fight corruption a campaign has been launched to monitor the work of gold smiths and jewelers. Gold that doesn’t carry a hallmark or a stamp is considered illegal.

Hallmarking or stamping a piece of jewelry aims at standardizing that piece of jewelry so that the consumer is secure about its weight and karatage. This hallmarking or stamping in Syria is expensive and so jewelers end up paying more and charging more as a result.

Two gold smiths decided not to go through this procedure and so ended up selling gold at a cheaper price.

As a result their customers increased even though that goods they bought didn’t come with a receipt stamped by the guild of goldsmiths.

The Ministry of Finance has fined these two goldsmiths shops a million Syrian Liras each, despite a general empathy with the two goldsmiths.

Reem Haddad