BAGHDAD, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Iraq's foreign minister Friday urged Russian oil giant LUKoil to return to Iraq, the foreign ministry in Baghdad said.

Hoshyar Zibari told Russian Ambassador Vladmir Gamov that Iraq was very interested in having Russian oil companies return to aid in Iraq's reconstruction, the Kuwait News Agency reported.

A foreign ministry statement said the 2007 reconstruction budget was $41 billion.

The meeting ended with Gamov suggesting LUKoil might send a delegation to Iraq "to discuss oil issues of concern," the report said.

LUKoil is Russia's largest oil company and the world's second largest in proven oil and gas reserves after ExxonMobil.

LUKoil's North American headquarters is in East Meadow, N.Y.