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Iraq aims to boost farming, industry, religious tourism

Tuesday, 24 February 2009


BAGHDAD, Feb 23 (AFP): Iraq, which sits on the world's third largest known petroleum reserves, wants to diversify its revenues in the light of the tumbling price of crude oil, Planning Minister Ali Baban said yesterday.

"I think this decline may go on for a long time, especially with the trend in industrial countries to use renewable energy and clean energy," the minister said in an interview with AFP.

The development of agriculture, industry and religious tourism are Baban's top three priorities, he said ahead of a conference he has organised in Baghdad this week on ways to substitute for declining oil income.