Iraqi Council members to meet Putin (furious with Washington)

[ConcernedCanuk]

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Iraqi Council members to meet Putin

Monday 22 December 2003, 16:05 Makka Time, 13:05 GMT

Putin is furious with Washington over reconstruction contracts

Members of the interim US-installed Iraq Governing Council are to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"The landmark meeting later on Monday focuses on Baghdad's debt to Moscow and the fate of Russian oil contracts."

/snip/

Much of Iraq's $8 billion debt to Moscow - including interest payments - is from military equipment that the Soviet Union delivered to Iraq in the 1980s when Saddam Hussein attacked Iran in a war that killed one million people on both sides and ended in a stand-off.

Moscow has been furious with Washington in recent days for barring countries that opposed the invasion of Iraq from taking part in the lucrative first phase of reconstruction projects for the country.

Ahead of a meeting on Thursday with the US envoy on Iraqi debt, James Baker, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a rare, scathing attack on the US for waging war on Iraq.

>

"Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a rare, scathing attack on the US for waging war on Iraq."

Way to go Georgie-Boy !

Da Bear is outta hibernation !!

[htuttle]

1. In that picture of Putin....

...It looks like he has his 'Judo-face' on.

That's probably not good.

[ClintonTyree]

2. Leave it to Dumbya.............

to rekindle the Cold War. 25 years of improving relations with the world and in just 3 years the asshole in the White House has turned the entire world against us. There ought to be some sort of medal for that. Oh wait, the Germans already had one, the swastika.