Russian-Iraqi commission to hold first meeting over 8 years

BADHDAD, February 11. /TASS/. The Russian-Iraqi intergovernmental commission will meet for the first time over eight years in Baghdad on Thursday to discuss bilateral cooperation in various areas. The meeting will be attended by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who co-chairs the commission and leads Russia’s governmental delegation. Rogozin arrived in Iraq’s capital on a two-day visit on Wednesday. The sides will discuss the issues of Moscow’s cooperation with Baghdad in trade and economic, investment, fuel and energy spheres and also in the areas of industry and transport. A final protocol will be signed after the meeting, a source in Russia’s delegation told TASS. Rogozin is also expected to meet with Iraq’s President Fuad Masum. On Wednesday, the Russian deputy PM held talks with Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jabouri and Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, who met him at the airport. The talks focused on the economic cooperation, the fight against terrorism and the situation in the Middle East. This is the first trip of such a major Russian delegation to Iraq over the past years. The delegation consists of 90 people, including high-ranking officials and business representatives. The previous meeting of the Russian-Iraqi commission for trade, economic and scientific-technical cooperation was held in Moscow in 2008. Rogozin has co-chaired the commission since September 2014. Read more