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Iraq, Egypt begin joint drug R&D

Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Wednesday, November 14, 2001

CAIRO Ñ Egypt and Iraq have launched efforts for joint research for drug development and manufacturing.

Officials said the two countries will draft feasibility studies for the establishment of joint research projects. The projects will be conducted by research centers in both countries.

The agreement, reached during a meeting in Baghdad last week, was said to have been limited to civilian purposes. Both Egypt and Iraq engage in biological and chemical weapons development.

Officials said the drugs could be manufactured for sale both in Egypt, Iraq as well as throughout the Arab world. Currently, Iraq has been purchasing virtually all medicine abroad.

The regime of President Saddam Hussein has accused Britain and the United States of vetoing medicine and related equipment contracts that require approval under the United Nations oil-for-food program. London and Washington have been concerned that the imports are meant for Baghdad's biological weapons program.

Mustafa Ibrahim, chairman of the Egyptian Pharmaceutical Holding Co., said cooperation between the two countries would involve honoring international treaties. These included intellectual property agreements as well as regulations of the World Trade Organization.

Ibrahim said these regulations have harmed drug cooperation between the two countries. The WTO is considering a proposal that would allow poor countries to obtain or produce cheaper generic drugs in times of a health crisis.

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