Egyptian Minister of Petroleum Sameh Fahmy in a visit with Iraqi officials in Baghdad on Wednesday discussed expansion in natural gas cooperation. A ministry statement following the visit said Fahmy convened with Iraqi incumbent PM Nouri Al-Maliki and Minister of Oil Hussain al-Shahristani. Egyptian ambassador to Iraq, Sherif Shahin, was also in attendance. In related news, Vice President of the Central Bank of Iraq, Ahmed Libraihi, delineated a plan to enhance the presence of the Iraqi Rafidain bank's branches in nine countries, including Egypt, in a bid to increase commercial and investment cooperation. Libraihi admitted, however, that Iraqi debt impedes the bank's ability to operate. Libraihi invited Egypt's state-run banks to turn a new page in their relations with Iraqi banks and open branches or representation offices at Iraq. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
