Iraqi president meets Russian envoy

"President Saddam Hussein has received envoy of President Vladimir Putin Ambassador of Special Assignments for the Middle East and Gulf Nikolai Kartozov and Deputy Chairman of the Middle East Department in the Russian Foreign Ministry Vladimir Piterinko. Kartozov handed President Saddam Hussein a letter from President Putin on the relations between the two friendly countries and the desire to develop them in various areas." Iraq's News Agency reported today.