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Journalism of Courage
Iraq,currently the second largest crude oil supplier to India,has assured it to provide as much oil as it could to fulfill the needs of the growing Indian economy. “Iraq is willing to assist,to provide or to meet as much as it could (to fulfill) the needs of Indian economy,” Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari told PTI here. Top Iraqi officials believe that India with its strong economic growth will be needing more fuel particularly crude oil and oil-rich Iraq is in a unique position to supply and meet that demand. Iraq produces 3.15 million barrels a day of crude and plans to double the output by 2020.
Khurshid,who visited Iraq on June 19-20,was the first senior Indian minister to tour the war-ravaged country in last 23 years. Former External Affairs Minister I K Gujral had visited Iraq in 1990. “This visit will open some major inroads towards better cooperation between the two countries in many areas of common interests,trade,business,investment and also Indian expertise for Iraqi economy and in all the areas of mutual cooperation,” Zebari said.relationship”.
Talking to PTI,Iraq’s National Security Advisor Saleh Al-Fayyadh said,”We have many topics that we can cooperate about such as energy,economy,health,private sectors,other sectors and military and security issues also.” “We,in the National Security Advisory,support the developing of the relations between the two countries,” he said. Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Hussein Al Shahristani believes that there is serious desire between the two countries to develop relations politically and economically and in different fields. “India should count Iraq as long-term dependable partner and not only a supplier,” he said.
