Transcript of the beginning of the meeting:

Vladimir Putin: Mr Prime Minister, allow me to offer you a warm welcome to Russia. We are in regular contact with the new Iraqi government, but this is your first official visit to Russia.

We applaud all your work towards renewed peace and reconciliation in Iraq. Iraq has been our reliable partner for many years, and we have a good history of relations. The last decade has seen a great amount of mutual work between our two countries. We are keen on seeing Iraq flourish, becoming a strong, independent, sovereign and united country.

There is much we can do to develop our bilateral economic ties. Our companies have sound experience of working with our Iraqi partners. This cooperation is a very good asset for the future.

We welcome you to Russia, and are certain that your visit will be fruitful and will work to benefit the development of bilateral relations. Welcome!

Nouri al-Maliki (translated from Russian): First of all I would like to express to you, Mr Prime Minister, my gratitude for the invitation to visit Russia, and for the warm welcome we have received here.

On behalf of the Iraqi government, I would like to underline our intention to further develop our historically close relations with the Russian Federation. This intention is based on the stabilisation that is currently taking place in our country. As you know, our country has in recent years been a hostage to the acts of various kinds of terrorist groups. But thanks to Allah's help and to our own efforts, we have been able to do a great deal to change the situation. In this regard, we have confidence in the support which the Russian Government has offered us, and which you, personally, Mr Prime Minister, have offered during those times when you were with us, at our times of endurance.

I would also like to stress that we have faith in Russian enterprises which, as you have said, have a wide and rich experience of cooperation with Iraqi partners. At the moment they are operating in our country, but we would like Russian involvement to increase and expand. We are equally interested in broadening all our relations: political, as well as economic, and also those regarding security.

We consider this current visit to be the beginning of cooperation in a variety of areas, and the starting point for the transferral of the mutual efforts of both sides towards the development of our relations in practically all spheres, including, as I have already said, security.

I am also certain that our forthcoming talks will be positive, productive, and will work to benefit our bilateral relations. For, much like our Russian friends, we also hope to strengthen and develop our cooperation further.

In this sense, the time factor is very important to us, and we think the participation of Russian companies in the reconstruction of our country is highly important. We will start from the fact that our visit, although the first, will not be the only one, and that this visit will result in new contacts on governmental and parliamentary level, and among business representatives from both countries. Many thanks to you, Mr Prime Minister.

* * * 

The one-on-one meeting between Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was followed by extended Russian-Iraqi talks. 

Transcript of the beginning of the extended meeting:

Vladimir Putin:

Mr Prime Minister,

Colleagues,

Let me welcome you all to Moscow. We have had a very extensive discussion with Mr Prime Minister where we covered all the major areas of cooperation.

I am happy to welcome such a high-ranking delegation of a friendly nation here in Moscow. Russia and Iraq are linked by decades of successful cooperation.

Our two countries have long established friendly relations, which we can use as a foundation for future development of collaboration. I am convinced that your visit will be productive and will give a fresh impetus to the development of bilateral relations.

Nouri al-Maliki (translated): Thank you very much.

Mr Prime Minister,

Ladies and gentlemen,

I greatly appreciate your invitation to visit Russia and the warm welcome I have received here, which certainly reflects the atmosphere of friendship and cooperation existing between our two countries.

During the discussion I've had with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin I sensed a common desire to expand and develop cooperation with Russia.

Today's agenda is not really to design the first steps in the development of our mutual relations - this meeting is rather about continuing the relations and the cooperation we have had for many decades.

My ministers and I have many questions we would like to discuss with our Russian colleagues during this visit.

We would like this dialogue to continue and progress towards a discussion of the technical aspects and practical implementation of ideas aimed at strengthening our relations.

* * * 

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's talks with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki were summarized in a Russian-Iraqi communiqué:

On the invitation of the Government of the Russian Federation, Nouri al-Maliki, Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq, and his accompanying delegation, paid an official visit to the Russian Federation on April 9 to 11, 2009.

During his visit, Nouri al-Maliki held meetings and negotiations with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Boris Gryzlov, Speaker of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly, as well as other meetings and engagements.

The Iraqi Prime Minister took part in a business forum, attended by representatives of the two countries' relevant agencies and by Russian businesspeople, on the prospects of Russian-Iraqi partnership.

During negotiations, the parties confirmed the desire of the Russian and Iraqi nations and their respective governments to strengthen traditional and long-established friendly contacts and establish close bilateral partnership.

The Russian party spoke in favour of the principles of independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Iraq, non-interference in its internal affairs, the Iraqi nation's right of democratic choice, determination of its political future, and disposal of its natural and financial resources.

The Russian party resolutely condemned terrorist acts in Iraq and supported efforts of the Iraqi Government towards security and stability in the country.

It confirmed support of the Iraqi Government's efforts towards national reconciliation and accord in Iraq to be achieved through dialogue in a legal and constitutional manner.

The parties welcome the contribution of the international community, including international conferences in Sharm El Sheikh, Istanbul and Kuwait, to the cause of security and stability in Iraq.

The Russian Federation attaches special significance to agreements on the pullout of foreign troops from Iraq, reached by the Iraqi Government, which opens the prospect of security control passing entirely to Iraq.

The parties expressed satisfaction with the signing, on February 11, 2008, of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Iraq on the Settlement of the Debt of the Republic of Iraq to the Russian Federation on Loans Made Earlier.

The parties stressed the sizeable contribution of Soviet and Russian specialists to the emergence and development of the Iraqi oil-and-gas industry, including major projects for construction and the opening up and exploitation of Iraqi oilfields, which were implemented throughout the many years of partnership, and Iraqi specialist training in Russian higher and secondary educational establishments.

The parties expressed their readiness to strengthen and develop bilateral, mutually beneficial contacts in the most diverse fields.

The parties agreed to extend and deepen the political dialogue at many levels on the entire range of bilateral relations, and regional and global international problems of shared interest.

The parties confirmed mutual interest in promoting economic, commercial, research and technical contacts with due consideration for previous experience of bilateral partnership, and provide beneficial legal and economic conditions for such contacts. Special attention was paid to enhancing the effectiveness of the Russian-Iraqi Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation.

The parties made a detailed analysis of the beneficial prospects of developing partnership in oil-and-gas industry, including the opening and equipment of oil and gas fields, oil and gas project implementation, and training Iraqi specialists.

The parties expressed their desire to continue electric energy partnership, including the implementation of construction projects presently underway, supplies of equipment to them, and work on electric energy projects previously suspended.

The parties stressed their determination to cooperate for the establishment of a just world order based on strict compliance with the UN Charter, resolutions of the UN Security Council, and universally recognised international legal norms and principles, for the preservation of international peace and security, compliance with international obligations, and strengthening the bases of multilateral partnership.

The parties agreed to interact on issues related to efforts against terrorism and transnational organised crime-in particular, trafficking narcotic and psychotropic drugs, arms, and poisonous, radioactive and biologically active substances.

Regarding regional problems, the parties paid special attention to the implementation of measures aimed at lasting, just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East on a universally acknowledged international legal basis.

The parties confirmed the shared desire to cooperate in arms control and non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament, and promote efforts to make the Middle East a zone free of mass destruction weapons.

The parties pronounced for international and regional support of efforts to step up and deepen the dialogue between civilisations and religions.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki passed to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin an invitation to visit Iraq at his convenience. The invitation was accepted gratefully.