The Hindu : Russia, Iraq discuss new projects

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Nov 16, 2002

International

International

Russia, Iraq discuss new projects

By Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW NOV. 15. Russia and Iraq opened talks on new energy projects a day after Baghdad accepted the new U.N. Security Council resolution on international weapons inspections. Iraq's Energy Minister, Sahban Feisal Al Mahjub, arrived in Moscow to discuss "a number of major contracts,'' the Iraqi Ambassador to Russia, Mahmud Abbas, told the Interfax news agency on Thursday.

The visit began hours after the Russian Foreign Minister, Igor Ivanov, welcomed Iraq's decision to comply with the tough Security Council Resolution and called for U.N. inspections to begin as soon as possible. ``Moscow welcomes the decision of the Iraqi leadership to fulfil U.N. Security Council resolution 1441,'' Mr. Ivanov told the Russian television from Paris.

"We will now press at the Security Council for the earliest possible return of international inspectors to Iraq.'' The Russian Foreign Minister said Iraq's full compliance with the U.N. Resolution should lead to a "comprehensive settlement of the Iraq situation, including the lifting of sanctions.'' Over the past three years Iraq signed over 130 contracts with Russia for the construction of electric power projects worth $1.2 billion, Interfax quoted the Iraqi Ambassador as saying.

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