A preliminary deal has been signed to construct a high-speed rail linking Baghdad to a southeastern city Basra.
Weeks after signing a €500 million contract to build a power plant in Israel, the French engineering giant Alstom wastes no time to partake another high-profile project. This time with Iraq.
With the "memorandum of understanding" signed, BBC reports that Alstom "will hold exclusive talks with Iraqi officials for 12 months to try to strike a final agreement."
Should this project materializes, some 400 miles of rail network will be built. "The line would handle speeds of up to 155 mph," BBC says.
FULL STORY: Iraq: France's Alstom signs high-speed rail line deal

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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
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