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Russian foreign minister to meet with Iraqi PM, president during official visit — envoy

Representatives of major Russian oil and gas companies will accompany the Russian foreign minister on his trip, the Iraqi ambassador said

MOSCOW, September 19. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi and President Barham Salih during his visit to Iraq on October 7-8, Iraqi Ambassador to Russia Haidar Mansour Hadi said on Thursday at a news conference at the Valdai International Discussion Club.

The ambassador stated that Lavrov’s visit to Iraq proves Moscow’s interest in developing relations with Baghdad. "I will accompany the minister. He will have high-level meetings, including meetings with Iraq’s president, prime minister, parliamentary speaker and foreign minister," he noted.

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"This visit also shows that Moscow is interested in the settlement of the situation in the region," the diplomat added.

Representatives of major Russian oil and gas companies will accompany Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on his trip to Iraq, Haidar Mansour Hadi went on to say. "Sergey Lavrov will be accompanied by representatives of Russian oil and gas companies in Baghdad and they will offer to ramp up their investments in Iraq," the diplomat said.

According to the ambassador, the Russian-Iraqi economic cooperation has a bright future because "both sides are interested in it." "Our embassy is always willing to facilitate such contacts."

Iraqi Oil Minister Thamir Ghadhban earlier claimed that the Russian energy giants Gazprom and Lukoil are interested in the development of the Mansouri oil field located on the border between Iraq and Iran.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova earlier reported that Lavrov will visit Iraq on October 7-8. The foreign minister will visit Baghdad, as well as Erbil in the Kurdistan Region. The sides will exchange their opinions on key aspects of the Middle Eastern agenda with focus on the situation in Iraq, Syria and the Persian Gulf zone and discuss the developments in Iran and the Palestinian territories.

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