Russian Emergencies Minister Sergey Shoyqu visits Iraq Tuesday for talks with President Saddam Hussein and other senior Iraqi officials on bilateral and regional issues, reported the Russian Novosti online news agency.
Shoyqu is also scheduled to hold talks with ministers of health, interior and communications regarding bilateral cooperation in the humanitarian spheres.
Moscow, which supports a complete lifting of the sanctions imposed on Baghdad since 1991, has called for an extension of the oil-for-food program for a further six months.
The UN Security Council extended for one month on June 1 the oil-for-food program, under which Iraq has shipped crude and imported basic goods with the proceeds since December 1996.
During that time, details of the "smart" sanctions are to be worked out – Albawaba.com
