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Iraqi top diplomat says talks with Lavrov focused on ways to boost oil cooperation

The parties agreed that there was a need to foster bilateral relations and improve political coordination, particularly in the foreign policy area, according to the Iraqi foreign minister

Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Alhakim EPA-EFE/ANDRE PAIN

Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Alhakim

© EPA-EFE/ANDRE PAIN

BAGHDAD, October 7. /TASS/. Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Alhakim has discussed ways to boost oil and gas cooperation between Baghdad and Moscow with Russian top diplomat Sergey Lavrov, as Alhakim himself said following a meeting with Lavrov.

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"We have held fruitful talks, discussing a wide range of issues. The talks involved the deputy oil minister, the deputy energy minister and the Defense Ministry’s secretary general," he pointed out. "We exchanged views on trade and ways to restore it to the previous level and boost activities in the energy and gas industry," the Iraqi foreign minister added.

According to Alhakim, the parties agreed that there was a need to foster relations between the two countries and improve political coordination, particularly in the foreign policy area. "Besides, we also discussed trade, economic and investment cooperation, including Russian companies’ investment in the infrastructure field and the reconstruction of the country’s economy," the Iraqi top diplomat noted.

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