Vladimir Putin: Mr.Prime Minister,
Ladies and gentlemen,
We have completed our talks with the Prime Minister of Iraq. This is the Prime Minister's first visit to Russia. In this connection I would like to note that the adoption of the Constitution in 2005 was a milestone in the revival of independent statehood of Iraq. We see the positive shifts taking place in the country.
In spite of the complexity of the situation the trends are nevertheless positive, we recognize this and we assume that the situation in the country is becoming more stable. That applies to security and the internal political situation, as witnessed by the elections to the provincial council and their results.
The development and approval of the schedule of the withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq, something Russia has always called for, enable the Government to step up its efforts to achieve national reconciliation and accord.
The positive dynamic, of course, enhances trust for Iraq as a promising international partner. Today we discussed ways to expand political, economic and humanitarian contacts.
Regarding business and investment links, I think it is clear to everyone that the emphasis was above all on cooperation in the oil and gas field.
Here, just as in the power sector, considerable positive experience of cooperation has been accumulated.
We have noted the interest of our Iraqi partners in resuming military and military-technical cooperation. These negotiations are already at the stage of practical contacts and I believe that full-scale negotiations may well be resumed.
Much has been done in the previous years in the sphere of training personnel for Iraq in diverse areas. We also discussed it today. Many thousands of Iraqi specialists had been trained in the Soviet Union and Russia. Today too Iraqi students study at our higher education institutions. Cooperation in that sphere can and undoubtedly will expand.
I would like to thank Mr.Prime Minister for the invitation to visit Iraq. We have agreed that a Russian Government delegation will shortly go to Baghdad to continue the negotiations held today. Thank you. Shukran.
НNuri al-Maliki (as translated): Thank you very much, Mr.Prime Minister.
For my part I would like to confirm that the negotiations that I and my delegation had today with the Prime Minister were fruitful and useful and have put our relations back on the historical track of traditional close cooperation.
As I said, the relations between our countries have a long-standing historical character and we have discussed many elements of that cooperation today during the personal meeting with Mr.Prime Minister and between our delegations. I was aware of Mr.Putin's wish to further promote bilateral relations with Iraq. Iraq which has lived through many years of wars, conspiracies, terrorist activities and various acts of violence, Iraq which is now standing up on its two feet and seeks to build a new modern state.
It is of course important that all the friendly states which earlier supported our country should be with it today, during these days when we are tackling the issues of rebuilding our country. Iraq remembers well and knows Russian companies which are assisting us in various areas, including the oil and gas sphere, the sphere of industry, trade and, as has been said, in the military-technical field. We are confident that Russian companies can and must be our important partners at the present stage too.
Today we discussed with Mr.Putin all the issues of mutual interest, the ways to increase our interaction in diverse fields in order to step up the work to strengthen the entire complex of bilateral relations.
Our dialogue today proceeded on the basis of mutual understanding, friendship and mutual sympathy. We assume that Russia will continue to play an important role in building a new Iraq and bringing about its economic recovery.
On behalf of all the Iraqis, the whole people of Iraq I would like to reaffirm that democracy, democratic principles, the principles of the preservation of the unity of our country and our people have prevailed.
We want to turn the page of history when we faced limitations or bans on the development of relations with some states. We intend to seek good and friendly relations with everyone, including of course, the Russian Federation.
In addition to what Mr.Putin said about our bilateral relations and ways to strengthen them, I would like to say that we have agreed to hold at an early date a meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission in order to speed up and invigorate contacts at the level of the two countries' experts.