Microsoft appoints first official Iraq distributor

Baghdad: Microsoft Corp. says it has appointed a local company to distribute its products in Iraq in what it says is a sign of growth for the war-plagued country.

Manager of Business Development for Emerging Markets Rajai S. El-Khadem said Monday that the software giant had chosen the Baghdad-based Legend Lands Co. as its Iraqi partner.

El-Khadem called on Iraq's government to approve laws protecting intellectual property and usage of software.

Decades of war and UN sanctions have created technology shortages in Iraq and the government's limited supervision has overwhelmed the market with illegal software products.