Russian President Vladimir Putin met Iraqi Vice-President Nouri al-Maliki in St. Petersburg on Tuesday, to discuss cooperation between the two countries.
“We have been acquainted for a long time, since you were the Prime Minister of Iraq,” Putin stated. “I am very glad that our relationship is still going,” he added.
Al-Maliki stated that Russia and Iraq “have very good potential for [further] cooperation, and our strategic choice is based on an understanding of the importance of the role of Russia in the region and Iraq.”
SOT, Vladimir Putin, Russian President (Russian): “We have been acquainted for a long time, since you were the Prime Minister of Iraq. I am very glad that our relationship is still going. The situation in the region and Iraq remains complicated, and we see and understand this perfectly.”
SOT, Vladimir Putin, Russian President (Russian): “We have also launched the Intergovernmental Commission, which is now working at full capacity. In this area, the area of economic cooperation, there is still a lot to be done. But we have other plans, in particular military and technical cooperation.”
SOT, Nouri al-Maliki, Iraqi Vice-President (Arabic): “We have very good potential for [further] cooperation, and our strategic choice is based on an understanding of the importance of the role of Russia in the region and Iraq.”
SOT, Nouri al-Maliki, Iraqi Vice-President (Arabic): “We have done a lot to strengthen our cooperation, especially in the energy sector, in the economy of the military-technical cooperation. During previous visits, a number of agreements were signed and bilateral relations between Russia and Iraq are well on their way, and we would also like to make sure that there are enough conditions for their full implementation.”