KHABAROVSK, July 31 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's energy minister Sergei Shmatko said on Friday he would pay a visit to Iraq in early August to discuss oil and energy cooperation.

"In the first half of August, I will visit Baghdad," he told journalists.

The main issue on the agenda is likely to be Russia's participation in the West Qurna-2 project.

LUKoil was involved in the development of the first phase of West Qurna and signed a contract with the Saddam Hussein regime to develop the second stage, but the deal was frozen in 2002.

In May Russia wrote off the bulk of Iraq's debts of around $12 billion.

A number of foreign oil companies, including LUKoil, are expected to take part in bidding to participate in long-term development projects involving the country's oil fields next month.

West Qurna-2's proven recoverable reserves have been estimated at around 6 billion barrels of oil. Investment in the project could reach $4 billion.