BEIJING,(Saba) -- Chinese power station equipment worth US$13 million is on its way to Iraq, according to an official with China National Machinery & Equipment Import & Export Corporation (CMEC). Malaysian National
News Agency, Bernama reported on Monday.

This marked China's first export to Iraq since major combat ended there, said Liu Tong, project manager of CMEC.

CMEC had signed a contract worth 700 million US dollars to build a power station with the former Iraqi government, but the contract was delayed by the Iraq war.

CMEC personnel returned to Iraq immediately after the war to resume the contract and help Iraq restore power supply. Finally, the Iraqi side decided to start building the first generating unit with a capacity of 300,000 kW.

The equipment left Shanghai Port at the end of October and was expected to reach the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr in early December, said Liu.

Liu said she was most worried about the safety of the equipment and the personnel in Iraq. After leaving Umm Qasr, the goods will be sent to Samara, a city 700 km away in central Iraq and the journey will be full of dangers as assaults and hijackings are quite common in that area.

No domestic insurance companies were willing to underwrite these goods, said Liu, and she could only wish Iraq would return to peace and stability soon.
EM