Following the invitation from the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and Special Presidential Envoy for the Middle East and North Africa, Mikhail Bogdanov, the Head of the KRG Department of Foreign Relations, Minister Falah Mustafa, with his accompanying delegation paid an official visit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation on 22 May, 2018.
During the course of the meeting, Minister Mustafa provided the Deputy Foreign Minister with a brief overview over the latest political developments in the Kurdistan Region and the wider region in general. He further touched upon the active participation of the Kurdistan Region in the most recent Iraqi Parliamentary Elections and in the formation process of the new cabinet according to the Iraqi constitution.
Deputy Foreign Minister Bogdanov welcomed the decision made by the Kurdistan Region to participate in the elections of the Iraqi Council of Representatives and to contribute to efforts of improvement in regards to relations between Erbil and Baghdad. The Russian Deputy Foreign Minister reiterated his country’s determination to continue to further strengthen the existing strong bilateral relations.
Bogdanov additionally emphasized that the normalization of relations between Erbil and Baghdad provides both sides with significant advantages. At the same time, stability throughout the country is also important for Russia and the work of Russian companies in the Kurdistan Region and throughout Iraq, he added. Both sides also reaffirmed their common aspiration to deepen and enhance their bilateral cooperation.