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Medvedev points to threefold growth of mutual trade during his meeting with Iraqi PM

Russian Prime Minister has discussed interaction in the gas sphere with his Iraqi colleague Nuri al-Maliki
Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo ITAR-TASS

GORKI, July 2 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev had a meeting with his Iraqi counterpart Nuri al-Maliki on Tuesday. During the meeting, the Russian head of government stressed the importance of Russian-Iraqi relations, noting that mutual trade turnover had grown threefold over the past three years. Medvedev said that contacts between the Russian and Iraqi governments had become more frequent and more intensive and added that it was a positive fact.

“We discussed interaction in the gas sphere. And now we got the chance to focus on the development of Russian-Iraqi cooperation, which has lately made great progress,” Medvedev said, adding that the visit of the Iraqi delegation to Moscow gave a fresh impetus to bilateral ties.

The Russian prime minister reaffirmed that Russian-Iraqi trade turnover had grown threefold since 2011. “And this is just a beginning. And we are planning to discuss this issue today,” the Russian head of government said during his meeting with al-Maliki.

The Iraqi prime minister, in turn, thanked the Russian president and prime minister, Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev, for the invitation to attend the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF). Al-Maliki agreed that Russia and Iraq had a colossal potential for closer cooperation. “I think that all spheres of cooperation are open for us. And they embrace energy, infrastructure, security and others fields,” he said.