Iraqi President Jalal Talabani yesterday completed his four-day visit to South Korea, and departed for Tehran.
In an announcement, his office announced that Talabani had signed an economic-strategic memorandum of understanding with South Korea.
The Korean president's office said that he had signed $3.5 billion in oil contracts.
However, the Iraqi Oil Ministry clarified that Talabani's role is symbolic and that only the central government in Baghdad can sign economic contracts.
Source: Al-Hayat, London, February 27, 2009
