Russia, Iraq To Develop Trade, Economic Cooperation - Russian Deputy Envoy To UN

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd May, 2019) Russia will continue to increase the development of trade and economic cooperation with Iraq, Russian Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vladimir Safronkov said during the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Iraq.

"At the end of April this year, another meeting was held in Baghdad of the Russian-Iraqi intergovernmental commission on trade, economic and scientific cooperation; we will continue further developing that cooperation," Safronkov said on Tuesday.

Safronkov pointed out that Russia and Iraq have already expanded mutually beneficial trade, including in the fuel and energy industries.

In April, the Russian-Iraqi Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation held its eight meeting in Baghdad.

Representatives of the two countries discussed using national currencies for bilateral trade, while Iraq proposed Russia to open an economic department in the Russian embassy in Baghdad.

Earlier in May, Iraqi Ambassador to Russia Haidar Hadi said the Iraqi government has decided to buy Russian S-400 air defense systems, but the exact date of the purchase is yet to be defined.

In late 2017, Iraq declared victory over the Islamic State terror group (outlawed in Russia) and has been calling on the international community to help it restore areas affected by the war.