MOSCOW. Feb 20 (Interfax) - Baghdad stands ready to help broaden the presence of Russian energy companies in Iraq, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported on Monday.
"The Iraqi leaders emphasized the willingness to actively promote the provision of favorable preconditions for expanding the presence of Russian economic operators in Iraq, including in the hydrocarbon exploration and production and power engineering sectors," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a commentary on Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and Special Presidential Representative for the Middle East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov's trip to Iraq, available on its website.
During his trip to Iraq, Bogdanov was received by Iraqi President Fuad Masum, had a conversation with Co-Chairman of the Russian-Iraqi trade, economic, and scientific-technical cooperation commission and Foreign Minister Ibrahim Al-Jaafari, and met with Iraqi Oil Minister Jabbar Allibi and Electricity Minister Qasim Al-Fahdawi.
"On February 20, Mikhail Bogdanov was received by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Iraqi Council of Representatives (parliament) Chairman Salim al-Jabouri, met with National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister Faleh al-Fayyad, and held another round of consultations with Iraqi Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Nizar Al-Khairalla," it said.
During the visit, "Russia reaffirmed its unwavering resolve to render efficient support to its friend, Iraq, in eradicating a hotbed of terrorism on Iraqi soil," it said.
"Simultaneously, it highlighted the importance of promoting an intra-Iraqi national dialogue as an objective condition for ensuring the country's sustainable socioeconomic development, taking into account the interests of all ethnic and religious groups in Iraq," it said.
At the same time, "the Iraqi leadership voiced its support for Russia's principled stance on consolidating the cessation of hostilities in Syria within the Astana process framework as an essential precondition for the soonest possible settlement of the crisis in Syria based on UN Security Council Resolution 2254," it said.