- External Affairs Minister, Shri Salman Khurshid will be paying an official visit to Baghdad from June 19-20, 2013 at the invitation of the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Iraq, H.E. Mr. Hoshiyar Zebari.
- This is the first high-level official visit from India to Iraq since 2003. At the level of External Affairs Minister, the last visit was of the then External Affairs Minister, Shri I.K Gujral in 1990 in connection with the evacuation of Indians in the wake of Gulf war.
- During this visit, the External Affairs Minister will hold discussions with Foreign Minister H.E. Mr. Hoshyar Zebari on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest. He is also expected to call on the leadership of Iraq, including Prime Minister, H.E. Mr Nouri al-Maliki and Deputy Prime Minister, H.E. Mr. Hussain Ibrahim Saleh al-Shahristani, among others.
- India and Iraq enjoy time-tested, warm and friendly ties underpinned by close people to people contact and growing cooperation in different fields including hydrocarbons, water resources, education, healthcare, project exports etc. Iraq has now emerged as India’s second largest crude oil supplier. India remains committed to support the ongoing post-war reconstruction and development efforts in Iraq.
- The ExternalAffairsMinister’s forthcoming visit is expected to add an impetus to our bilateral relations and elevate our ties to a higher level for the mutual benefit of thepeople of our two countries.
New Delhi
June 16, 2013
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