IRAQ AND ARABIA IN RUSSIAN FOREIGN TRADE AT THE END OF THE XIX -BEGINNING OF THE XX CENTURIES IN THE REPORTS OF RUSSIAN DIPLOMATS

At the end of XIX - beginning of the XX centuires Russia took interest in the development of foreing economic activity with periphiries of Ottoman Empire, including Iraq and Arabia. In Turkey and Persia, Russian diplomats tried to attract attention of Russian entrepreneurs to this region and help them whith avaible methods. The article deals with reports Russian diplomatic officers from the Middle East. They emphasized the main features of Iraqi and Arabian trade and problems of Russian entrepreneurs and gave practical recommendations. Despite fierce competition from other European countries and domination of kerosene in Russian export, diplomats recognized significant success of Russian activity in the development of trade with Iraq and Arabia by 1914.