Rebuilding Iraq

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[Copperfield]

PUTIN CONGRATULATES IRAQI PRESIDENT


MOSCOW, July 1 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's President Vladimir Putin forwarded a message of congratulations to President Ghazi Yawer of Iraq on the latter's inauguration, reports the Kremlin press service.

"Your activities on this high post will, I am sure, promote peace and security in your country, and guarantee the sovereignty and lawful rights of the Iraqi nation," says the message.

President Putin hopes the long-established Russian-Iraqi contacts will make progress to the benefit of the two nations.

[Copperfield]

Condition of Interenergoservis worker wounded in Iraq improves

24.06.2004, 15.32

According to Loginov, there have been improvements in Anatoly Korenkov's condition, but doctors still regard it as serious. His wife has come from Stavropol to tend to him in an IT ward.

A Sklifasovsky hospital doctor told Tass that after evacuation to Moscow, Korenkov underwent yet another, fourth surgery, in connection with the gunshot wound to the backbone.

Korenkov's doctors said it was premature to make prognoses on how long his convalescence will be.

On May 26, a bus carrying a group of Interenergoservis workers came under fire near Baghdad. Two people have been killed and another seven were wounded in the attack.

After the incident, the company administration decided on full evacuation of its personnel.

On May 27, May 28 and June 4, Emergency Ministry's places airlifted from Iraq 220 citizens of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.

There are no Interenergoservis workers in Iraq at the present time.

U.S. doctors who initially operated on Korenkov, twice refused to allow his evacuation because of the patient's condition.

He was flown to Moscow after his condition stabilized and slightly improved.

[Copperfield]

Russia supplies Iraq plant

Russia's Power Machines Group has signed a supply contract to deliver equipment to Iraq's Dibis thermal power plant. The order consists of two 160 MW gas turbines and two turbo-generators to be delivered by 2005.

In a connected deal, Power Machines Group is to supply the Iraqi Transportation and Communication Ministry with 30 diesel locomotives scheduled for delivery by year-end.

These contracts will be carried out whilst the group works on a third contract to construct the Yusifiya thermal power plant and the Al Adaim hydro-power plant.

[Copperfield]

RUSSIA WILL SUPPORT THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT OF IRAQ


NEW YORK, July 1 (RIA Novosti's Andrei Loshchilin) - Russia is ready to help Iraq's Interim Government within the framework of international efforts and through bilateral channels, said Deputy Foreign Minister Yuri Fedotov, who is attending the New York session of the UN Economic and Social Council.

Fedotov said the Russian Embassy in Baghdad "is energetically interacting with the new Iraqi authorities... We rely on our rich experience and the traditions of mutually beneficial trade and economic contacts with that country."

According to the deputy minister, "the interim government of Iraq has shouldered grave responsibility... It has a chance to justify the trust of the people and the international community and lead the country to democratic change."

On the other hand, much will depend on the ability of the interim government to "demonstrate to the people that the occupation was over and the new stage in Iraq's development differs substantially from the previous one. ...If the Iraqis feel the difference, they will support their government. If not, the situation can develop extremely negatively."

Fedotov said Moscow hopes that the new Baghdad government will act on the Russian offer of convening an international conference on Iraq with the participation of all political forces of the country and neighbouring states, which was confirmed in the recent UN Security Council Resolution 1556. "Such a conference would broaden the social and political foundations of the Iraqi government in the country and to rally broad support in the region," said the deputy minister.