EMBASSY COMMENTS ON IMMDF PROPOSALS FOR RASUN

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 000397 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EINV IZ SUBJECT: EMBASSY COMMENTS ON IMMDF PROPOSALS FOR RASUN COMPANY AND SARQALA COMPANY REF: A. STATE 7674 ¶B. STATE 7676 ¶1. Embassy Baghdad does not have information indicating that it would be inadvisable to give loans to the Rasun Company or the Sarqala Company. Please note that IRMO/Private Sector did not suggest the project with the Rasun Company, as stated in ref B. ¶2. Evidence suggests that the northern Iraq poultry producers lobbied the Kurdistan Regional Government to cease issuing import licenses for poultry products. Post believes this hinders US poultry exports to Iraq. However, supporting this growing industry should result in a significant demand-increase in feed materials, and thus provide more opportunities for US grain suppliers to meet this demand. KHALILZAD