Yesterday it was announced that Universal Music Publishing Group, one of the largest music publishing companies in the world, signed a deal with a Fairwood/BKP Music (Arabia). Under the terms of the deal Fairwood would function as a “sub-publisher and licensing representative across the UAE and neighboring region”. This should certainly pave the way for an iTunes Store deal for the Middle East, I would think. Or at the very least it shows that the big music/media companies are taking an increasing interest in our market.