Lavrov in Baghdad for enhancing bilateral talks
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov started on Monday an official visit to Baghdad, where he voiced his country’s readiness to deliver weapons to Iraq, which is dealing with mass protests against corruption and social problems.
Russia will fulfill contracts for weapons delivery to Iraq, Sputnik quoted Lavrov as saying after talks with his Iraqi counterpart Mohamed Ali Alhakim.
“We have a common opinion on the need to implement the decisions of the intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation, which took place in April, and we will also fulfill existing contracts for the supply of Russian military goods to Iraq”, he said.
Before the visit, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Lavrov would meet with the national leadership in Baghdad and the authorities of the Kurdish autonomous region in Erbil.
According to the diplomat, the visit would see special attention paid to efforts to boost cooperation in combating international terrorism and the spread of religious extremism.
Bilateral relations are also on the agenda, including cooperation in the energy sector and humanitarian ties.