Iraq PM seeks tight Russia ties on first visit

Iraq and Russia’s leaders on Friday sought to revive political and economic ties disrupted by the US invasion six years ago and to position Moscow for future energy deals in the country.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said Russia should regain its pre-invasion role in developing his country’s vast energy resources.

“We’re sure Russian companies should be an important partner at the current stage,” he told Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

“We have achieved a lot of success in creating a national unity government. Now we are ready to develop relations with Russia,” Al-Maliki said at a later meeting with President Dmitry Medvedev.

Putin, who as Russia’s president was one of the fiercest critics of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, struck a notably warm tone towards the US-backed Iraqi premier making his first visit to Russia since taking office.

The Russian premier praised Iraqi democracy and recent elections, going on to stress Russian interest in oil and gas fields, where Moscow concluded major contracts in the era of Saddam Hussein.

Russian companies, especially energy majors, are keen to share the benefits of rebuilding energy-rich Iraq that have been enjoyed by Western firms whose governments supported the 2003 invasion.

“Despite all the difficulties of the situation we see positive tendencies,” Putin told reporters.

“We take the view that the situation is becoming more and more sustainable. This concerns security and the domestic political situation.”

And he added: “Concerning Russian business and investment connections, naturally the emphasis (in talks) was put above all on cooperation in the oil and gas sphere.”

In the electricity sphere “a great deal of positive experience was accumulated in earlier years,” he said.

Putin also noted Iraqi interest in acquiring Russian weapons, although he did not elaborate.

Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko said Iraq was looking to restore Saddam-era contracts with Russian energy companies.

Russia and Iraq signed a 133-million-dollar deal which would have Moscow restore the second and third energy blocs of Iraq’s Kharta power station, ministry officials said late Friday, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.The project, funded by the World Bank, is due to be completed within 30 months.Maliki is the second Iraqi premier to visit Russia since 2003. Iyad Allawi travelled to Moscow in December 2004.

The Kommersant daily said he would also seek the support of Russia, a permanent UN Security Council member, for the elimination of remaining UN sanctions against Baghdad.

(AFP)