BAGHDAD (AFP)--French Prime Minister Francois Fillon arrived in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, Thursday with a delegation of officials and business leaders.

He was expected to meet his Iraqi counterpart, Nouri al-Maliki, before travelling to Sulaimaniyah in Iraqi Kurdistan to meet President Jalal Talabani.

Several agreements are expected to be signed during the visit, Fillon's office said.

The delegation includes Finance Minister Christine Lagarde and the heads of the Total SA (TOT)oil company, Lafarge SA (LG.FR) building materials group and aerospace giant European Aeronautic, Defence and Space Co. (EAD.FR) among others.

Maliki visited Paris in May, while French President Nicolas Sarkozy was in Iraq in February.