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Russia committed to its liabilities under defense supplies contracts with Iraq — Lavrov

The sides see eye to eye on the need to implement the decisions of the intergovernmental trade and economic cooperation commission, according to Russia's top diplomat

© Artiom Geodakyan/TASS

BAGHDAD, October 7. /TASS/. Russia is committed to its liabilities under contracts for the supplies of defense-related products to Iraq, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday after talks with his Iraqi counterpart, Mohamed Ali Alhakim.

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Iraq holds no talks with Russia on purchasing S-400 — ambassador to Russia

"We have a common understanding that it is necessary to implement the decisions of the intergovernmental trade and economic cooperation commission, which met in April, and to execute the existing contracts for the supplies of Russian defense products to Iraq," he said.

Russia and Iraq have long-standing relations in the area of military and technical cooperation. In 2014, the two countries signed a weapons supplies contract to a sum of more than four billion US dollars. Russian specialists train the Iraqi military. Moreover, the Iraqi Defense Ministry has been receiving Russian T-90S tanks under the weapons contract since February 2018. The Iraqi military show interest in other types of Russian weapons, in particular the S-400 missile defense systems.

Common stance on flaring up tensions in Persian Gulf region

Russia and Iraq reject any schemes that may sow discord in the Persian Gulf region, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated.

"We have a common position on how to ease tensions in the Gulf region. We and our Iraqi friends believe that it must be done through consolidating efforts of all the players rather than by means of schemes sowing discord and appointing those to blame," he said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry released Russia’s concept of collective security in the Persian Gulf region in July. The concept is called to help create a cooperation mechanism in that region. Russia believes that the idea of a security system in the Gulf may play a key role in consolidating political and diplomatic efforts in the region. The concept offers a long-term program of actions geared to normalize the situation, strengthen stability and security, settle conflicts, outline key benchmarks and parameters of the future post-crisis system, as well as ways to implement related tasks.

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