NICOSIA [MENL] -- Iraq and Russia have agreed to upgrade cooperation as well
as trade relations.Arab diplomatic sources said Russian President Vladimir Putin has
relayed assurances to Baghdad that his country will improve ties with Iraq.
The assurances include Russian willingness to sell equipment and dual-use
systems to Iraq.Earlier this week, a Russian delegation reviewed ties with Iraq and
discussed the prospect of advanced transport and telecommunications systems
to
Baghdad. Many of these systems have been banned by the United Nations as
being of use to the Iraqi military.The talks included Russian officials with Iraqi Transport Minister Ahmed
Murtada Ahmed. The minister said Russia has agreed to promote cooperation
with Baghdad in the field of transportation and communications.Russian officials said Moscow plans to improve technical and scientific
cooperation with Baghdad. Russian envoy Nikolai Korotozov said he expects
that trade between the two countries will reach $1 billion by the end of the
year.
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