OREANDA-NEWS. April 10, 2009. 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.