10% of Italian loan to support Iraqi Christians

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Italian ambassador to Iraq Gerardo Carante announced today that 10 percent of the Italian loan will be allocated to support the Iraqi Christians, while the rest will be spent for strategic projects, including the Greater Fao Port, according to a statement issued by the Planning Ministry. The statement added that the Minister Ali Yousif al-Shukri met with the Italian ambassador today and discussed bilateral relation. It added, quoting ambassador Carante, that Italy granted Iraq a loan of half a billion Euros to support Iraqi infrastructures and human development. Ambassador Carante pointed out that 10 percent of this loan shall be allocated to the Christians. Iraqi minister announced that the Italian loan shall be repaid within 8 years, which shall support housing projects, some of them shall be allocated to poor Christians, antiquities dossier, the Greater Fao Port, due to be implemented, and building a university in Ain Kawa area in Kurdistan region. Both sides discussed the political and economic developments on the Iraqi scene, as well as the security situation following the US forces withdrawal.