Austria's Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger will start a three-day visit to Iraq on Wednesday where he is scheduled to hold talks with President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Baghdad.

Spindelegger will also visit Erbil to meet Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani.

The Austrian Foreign Ministry statement says that the FM will also open a "Business Round Table" with Iraqi economic and business representatives.

The FM is accompanied by vice-president of the Austrian Economics Chamber, Richard Schenz, in addition to a 30-strong economic delegation.

Schenz spoke of a "signal" from the visit, and pointed out that "we always had good economic relations with Iraq because we always received oil from Iraq. But we must increase our exports, as we have a trade deficit." He added that there are many opportunities for Austria in Iraq's reconstruction, environmental protection, water purification, health, and possibly tourism.

On Thursday, Spindelegger is scheduled to head to northern Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan Region. In Salahaddin resort, north of Erbil, the Austrian FM is expected to discuss the economical and political ties between Austria and Iraqi Kurdistan, and the political situation in Iraq and the wider Middle East region. Furthermore, he will also meet other Kurdish officials, besides his expected encounter with the country's Christian community.

By Mariwan Salihi