BAGHDAD: French Prime Minister Francois Fillon arrived in Baghdad yesterday with a delegation of officials and business leaders seeking to raise France’s profile in Iraq.

“Iraqis were keen to remove themselves from American guardianship, and that is because they want to do business with other investors that they know well, among them the French,” a Fillon aide told journalists.

Meanwhile, in a surprise trip, US Vice President Joe Biden also arrived in Baghdad yesterday.

“Vice President Biden has arrived in Iraq to visit US troops and to meet with Iraqi leaders, including President Jalal Talabani, Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki and Speaker of the Council of Representatives Ayad Al-Samarrai,” the White House said in a statement.

The visit of the two high profile foreign dignitaries has taken place just two days after US forces completed their pullout from Iraqi cities

Iraqi government spokesman Ali Al-Dabbagh said his country was looking forward to France playing a key role in its oil-dependent economy. “Our country wants France to be a strategic partner, particularly in trade, and Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki has indicated his desire to see bilateral relations grow significantly.”

Fillon visit also comes after Iraq managed to close only one of several deals for foreign energy giants to participate in developing the country’s extensive oil and gas resources.

An aide to the French premier said there was significant corporate interest in Iraq, although there were lingering concerns over security in a country that is still seeing deadly violence on a daily basis.

“Security is the major worry for the French,” he said.

Even so, “if we had wanted, we could have brought along the entire CAC 40,” he said in reference to the stock market index of France’s major companies. “No one turned down an invitation.” Among those traveling with Fillon and Finance Minister Christine Lagarde are the heads of oil major Total, the Lafarge building materials group and European aerospace giant EADS.

Fillon is expected to meet Al-Maliki before traveling to Sulaimaniyah in Iraqi Kurdistan to meet President Jalal Talabani.

Five memorandums of understanding are expected to be signed in the areas of armed forces, security, trade and training, Dabbagh said.

Biden was greeted at Baghdad airport by Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, who did not say how long the visit would last but said talks with political leaders would follow shortly.

“This visit comes at a very important time after the withdrawal of US forces,” Zebari told AFP. “It is a very important visit” and Biden will hold meetings with Al-Maliki and other senior leaders, he added.

¬