PM asserts Iraq’s keenness to develop ties with Russia

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Wednesday received the Head of the Russian Lukoil Company, Waheed Ali Aliakbrov, and asserted his government’s keenness to develop relations with Russia in various domains and to expand them in oil, trade, reconstruction and arming sectors. “We welcome the work of international companies in Iraq, including the Russian companies,” al-Maliki said in a statement released from his office received by IraqiNews.com news agency. “We are looking forward to expand cooperation in developing oil fields,” al-Maliki noted. The Russian company Lukoil had expressed its willingness to implement an investment project in the field of “West Qurna-2” in Iraq during 26 months if the Iraqi government accepts the company’s proposals on the investment of this oil field. Aliakbrov expressed his company’s readiness to continue training Iraqi oil staff at the specialized Russian institutes. SH (P) 1