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Iraq seeks to expand oil production cooperation with Russia — ambassador

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Two Russian oil giants eye projects in Iraq

NIZHNY NOVGOROD, May 06. /ITAR-TASS/. Iraqi Ambassador to Russia Shafiq Muhsin, who is staying in Nizhny Novgorod, has said his country is interested in expanding cooperation with Russia in the sphere of oil production and refining. “Russia’s key companies Gazprom and Lukoil successfully work in Iraq - building strategic relations between our countries,” he said.

According to the ambassador, Lukoil will soon achieve the oil production level in Iraq of 1.2 million barrels. “This is a very good occasion to invite to Iraq other Russian companies as well,” the diplomat stressed.

Nizhny Novgorod governor Valery Shantsev noted for his part that although trade turnover between the Nizhny Novgorod region and Iraq has amounted to just $43,100, the bilateral cooperation has vast potential. “We found out at the negotiations today that our joint sphere of interest is the automobile industry, namely manufacturing of automobiles and their components. In the future we plan to create in Iraq a joint automobile assembly enterprise,” Shantsev said, adding that the Gorky Automobile Plant (GAZ) had already had a production facility and dealership network in Iraq.

The ambassador confirmed Iraq’s interest in Russian automobiles. “Companies will appear in Iraq soon that will invite there also the Gorky Automobile Plant,” Muhsin said.

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