▁the ▁Arab ▁League , ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁a ▁majority ▁of ▁Sud an ' s ▁production ▁of ▁pet role um ▁is ▁sent ▁over se as ▁to ▁China . ▁Foreign ▁t ies ▁have ▁also ▁been ▁made ▁with ▁the ▁Arab ▁League ▁states ▁of ▁Mor oc co , ▁Al ger ia , ▁Egypt , ▁Ira q ▁and ▁Sy ria ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁further ▁invest ▁in ▁pet role um ▁production ▁in ▁the ▁Middle ▁East ▁and ▁North ▁Africa . ▁ ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁the ▁Arab ▁League ▁and ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Republic ▁of ▁China ▁have ▁agreed ▁to ▁create ▁an ▁annual ▁forum ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁parties ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁discuss ▁matters ▁of ▁econom ics , ▁trade ▁and ▁environmental ▁studies . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁the ▁forum ▁was ▁expanded ▁to ▁also ▁include ▁the ▁discussion ▁of ▁various ▁nuclear ▁projects . ▁ ▁Russia ▁▁ ▁Arab ▁Russian ▁relations ▁goes ▁far ▁since ▁the ▁Kh az ars ▁and ▁their ▁wars ▁with ▁the ▁Arab ▁Empire , ▁but ▁has ▁fl our ished ▁most ▁under ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union , ▁with ▁the ▁Commun ist ▁Union ▁of ▁Soviet ▁Social ist ▁Republic s ' ▁support ▁for ▁several ▁Social ist ▁Arab ▁reg imes ▁against ▁the ▁Capital ist ▁United ▁States ▁during ▁the ▁cold ▁war , ▁reg imes ▁like ▁N asser ' s ▁Egypt ▁and ▁the ▁Ba ath ist ▁reg imes ▁of ▁Sy ria ▁and ▁Ira q , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁other ▁Social ist ▁reg imes ▁in ▁Lib ya ▁and ▁South ▁Y emen . ▁After ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁cold ▁war ▁and ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁the