Moscow to continue supporting Kurdistan

MOSCOW, December 14, 2017 – Iraq’s territorial integrity must be preserved, but co-operation between Russian oil companies and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq will continue despite violence following a Kurdish independence referendum in September, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday.

“Our companies, including Rosneft, are working in Iraqi Kurdistan, and we believe that this co-operation will benefit both Iraq in general, Iraqi Kurdistan in particular, and the Russian economy,” Putin said at his annual press conference.

“We traditionally have very good and trust-based relations with Kurdistan and the Kurds in general. I understand all the complications of the matter, but considering all the sensitive points, nothing prevents us from developing relations with the Kurdish people,” he added.

Besides Rosneft, Russian companies working in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq include Lukoil, Gazprom Neft and Bashneft.

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