Putin warry Iraq's planned polls
RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin yesterday expressed doubts over the viability of next month's planned elections in Iraq.
The Russian leader said he "cannot imagine" how genuinely free and fair elections could be held as planned, given that the country is under "total occupation" by foreign forces.
"I cannot imagine how elections can be organised in conditions of total occupation of the country by foreign troops," Putin said yesterday, as he met visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi at the Kremlin.
"At the same time, I don't understand how you alone can remedy the situation in the country and prevent its disintegration," Putin told Allawi, adding: "I hope we will succeed in examining all these complex and contradictory issues."
Putin noted that his country had supported the UN Security Council resolution calling for elections in Iraq to be held on January 30 and said Russia stood "ready to support your efforts to stabilise the situation in the country."
But, he added: "We are watching with deep concern the difficult processes taking place in a country with which we have enjoyed friendly relations over a long period of time.
"In recent years, the ideological aspect of these relations was removed, but the bond of friendship and mutual sympathy has remained. We stand in solidarity with your fight against terrorism and we understand that in Iraq there are issues that go beyond this problem."
On Iraq's pre-war debts to foreign countries, Putin said Russia supported the recent decision by the Paris Club of creditor nations to erase a large portion of those financial obligations, and recalled that Moscow had taken similar steps.
"This represents more than 90 percent" of Iraq's debt to Russia, Putin said.
"We do this with a feeling of solidarity with our friends the Iraqi people, and at the same time we believe that the interests of our companies must be taken into account by your leadership and by the future government following the elections," Putin said.
