Investing in Iraq real opportunity– VP

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraqi Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi on Monday urged the British ambassador in Baghdad to encourage the international companies to invest in Iraq, asserting that there is a real opportunity and competition in different productive sectors, according to a statement of his office. “Iraqi Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi on Monday (May 11) received at his office in Baghdad the British Ambassador Christopher Prentice to discuss the outcome of the investment conference which was held in London on Iraq,” said the statement received by IraqiNews.com news agency. “Al-Hashemi urged the ambassador to encourage the international companies to invest in Iraq, where real chances to compete in different productive and services sectors, mainly in oil, gas, industry, housing, infrastructure and financial and banking services,” the statement added. The London-based conference on investment opportunities in Iraq opened on Thursday (April 30) with the participation of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. The conference, organized by the U.K. Ministry of Development, presided over by Deputy Premier Burham Saleh. Representatives from around 250 companies, from Shell to Rolls Royce and Barclays Capital as well as 600 businessmen took part in conference. SH (S)/SR 1