Russia has pledged to write off part of Iraq's national debt

I guess you can't say that Russia isn't doing their fair share in Iraq anymore. They're relieving some of the debt. owed by the 'Iraqi people' , and working out a payment plan for the rest. Oh, and of course because of that, they 'd like some more oil deals.......

Russia is "prepared to substantially reduce the debt and also to reach agreements on the repayment of the remaining part of the debt", Fedotov said. However, he conceded that negotiations on the amount of the debt have not yet begun.

In exchange for Iraqi debt writeoff, Moscow now expects some benefits from helping to rebuild the country, notably oil deals. Russian government and oil-industry officials have made it no secret that they expect more oil deals in post-Saddam Iraq, but this is where things might get sticky. Negotiations on the amount of the Iraqi debt Russia will forgive could eventually unearth a sensitive issue for Moscow: allegations of graft in the UN-run oil-for-food program in Iraq. more....