Maliki to visit Russia in 1st half of October

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki held an agreement with Russia to supply Iraq with warplanes and military equipment worth an estimated $ 5 billion in the visit conducted by next month at the head of a senior delegation. The Defense Minister Saadoun al-Dulaimi, will visit Russia early next month to put the final touches to the military contracts valued at $ 5 billion, according to a press statement issued here on Wednesday. The statement added that "the signing of these contracts will be during a visit to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to Moscow on the tenth of October next," noting that "Maliki will meet in his senior Russian officials, and possibly file search the Syrian crisis." It indicated that military contracts will include Sukhoi and MiG aircraft and Russian Mi helicopters in addition to military equipment.