RUSSIA: Russian leader Mr Vladimir Putin told his hawkish British counterpart Mr Tony Blair about Moscow's efforts to avoid war in Iraq yesterday, while a former Russian prime minister and friend of President Saddam Hussein made a flying visit to Baghdad on a secret Kremlin mission.
Moscow was buzzing with diplomatic rumour as President Putin stepped up his bid to find a peaceful solution to the arms impasse in Iraq, where Russia has major business interests that could be jeopardised by any US-led war in the Gulf.
In a short statement, the Kremlin said Mr Putin and Mr Blair had "exchanged views" over the telephone about the situation in Iraq. "Russia's head of state informed the British Prime Minister about efforts, taken directly by Russia and together with foreign partners, aimed at a political-diplomatic solution to the Iraqi problem," the Kremlin said.
It came as Russian and foreign media scurried to discover details of a whistle-stop trip by former Russian prime minister Yevgeny Primakov to Baghdad, where the Middle East expert is a well-known figure after two visits in 1990 to avert the Gulf War. The missions failed but Mr Primakov, who has also served as Russia's foreign minister and intelligence chief, reportedly became friendly with Saddam.
The RIA news agency quoted a Russian embassy source in Baghdad as saying Mr Primakov (73) was "meeting old friends in the Iraqi leadership, with whom he has maintained relations since the 1960s and 1970s" with the aim of "sharing his thoughts on the Iraqi situation and hearing the views of the Iraqi side". The source said the meetings lasted a few hours, and could not rule out that he had delivered a letter to the Iraqi leadership from Mr Putin.
While not discounting the eventual need for force, Russia has opposed the threat of war against Iraq, saying arms inspectors must be allowed to do their work.
