Iraq and Russia Strengthen Cooperation with New Agreements
By John Lee.
The 10th meeting of the Iraqi-Russian Joint Committee was held in Baghdad this week, co-chaired by Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and Russia's Minister of Energy Sergei Tsivilev.
Hussein emphasized the longstanding ties between the two nations and the broad scope of cooperation, while Tsivilev reaffirmed Russia's commitment to expanding bilateral relations and invited Iraq to participate in upcoming conferences in Russia.
During the meeting, both sides signed key agreements, including: A Maritime Transport Agreement between the Ministries of Transport.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Health Cooperation between the Ministries of Health.
An MoU between the Federation of Iraqi Chambers of Commerce and the Federation of Russian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
A Protocol of Understanding between Gazprom and Iraq's Midland [Middle] Oil Company (MdOC].
Hussein noted what he described as Iraq's " balanced " stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, calling for a ceasefire. He also highlighted upcoming international events in Iraq, including the Arab Summit, and stressed the importance of enhancing collaboration in sectors such as health and industry.
The discussions included Iraq's oil exports from the Kurdistan Region to Turkey and Russia's continued investment in Iraq's oil sector, currently valued at approximately $19 billion. Tsivilev confirmed additional agreements are under negotiation, praising the positive outcomes of the meeting.
(Source: MoFA)
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