Baghdad: total priority to Russia in the oil

The Iraqi minister of oil Amer Rasheed said that Russia will have the first priority in the field of oil.

News reports said that Baghdad intends to sign contracts with Russia at a total cost of USD 50 billion and offer it the right to invest Majnoun and Naher Omar oil fields which used to be offered for the French for investment.

Amer Rasheed said that Russia will be in the first place and then to be followed by Syria, Jordan and Turkey. He added that the offered privileges will cover all areas of political and economic cooperation.

The Iraqi minister stressed he wants to award Moscow for foiling the " smart sanctions" project at the UN Security Council. He added that Iraq wants to encourage Damascus, Amman and Ankara in a way that these capitals will abstain from supporting the British- American initiative.

Replying to a question on Paris' position, Amer said that the French position towards the smart sanctions will negatively affect the traditional friendly relations between Baghdad and Paris. He said that this very position will be taken into account in oil relations between the two countries.