A rchive Date
[ 17-08-2002 ]
Category
[ International Relations ]
sub-Categoy
[ Russia ]
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[http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/world/1538256
Russia, Iraq plan to sign $40 billion deal
Washington Post
Aug. 16, 2002, 10:07PM
MOSCOW - Russia and Iraq plan to sign a new five-year economic cooperation agreement worth $40 billion, reinforcing Moscow's close ties to Baghdad, Iraqi and Russian officials said Friday.
Russia's decision to proceed with a new economic accord suggested that the Kremlin so far refuses to abandon its longtime ally, despite vigorous U.S. efforts to isolate Iraq, and could make it even more difficult for the United States to rally Russian and other skeptical world leaders behind any invasion.
The five-year agreement will deal with cooperation in a variety of fields -- foremost oil, but also electrical energy, chemical products, irrigation, railroad construction and transportation, according to officials here. Soviet or Russian specialists built much of the infrastructure in Iraq, and so Baghdad wants Russian expertise to help repair it.
Russia has continued to strengthen ties with all three of the countries branded the "axis of evil" by President Bush: Iran, Iraq and North Korea. Despite President Vladimir Putin's friendship with Bush, Moscow plans for increased nuclear cooperation with Iran and has invited North Korea's leader to visit Russia.
 World Fact Book (CIA)]
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