Russia will play a substantial role in the Iraqi economic recovery, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said after Russia-Iraq negotiations.
"Iraq knows well Russian companies, which have given it comprehensive assistance in the hydrocarbon sector, industries, trade and the military-technical sphere. We think that Russian companies can and should be our important partners at the current phase," Maliki said.
Al-Maliki said he felt the wish of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to mount relations with Iraq, "which had been through a lot during many years of war, conspiracies and terrorist acts and which was gaining the ground and seeking the construction of a new modern state."
"It is important for friendly nations, which have been together with Iraq all through this time, to remain with Iraq during the reconstruction period," he said.
"On behalf of people of Iraq, I declare that democratic principles and unity have triumphed in Iraq. We want to end restrictions or bans on relations with certain countries. We want to develop relations with various states, and Russia is one of them," he said.
