Russian Foreign Minister hopes Russian companies will explore Iraqi oil

US state authorities will not allow for any discrimination against Russian companies in Iraq, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov declared today after the meeting of the Russia-NATO Council in Madrid, Spain. According to the minister, representatives of the US administration assured the Russian side of this at the recent consultations in Moscow.

Ivanov stressed that Russian companies would participate in tenders on exploring Iraqi fields on equal terms with foreign companies. The Russian minister expressed hope that Russian companies would manage to win tenders as "they have vast experience in working in Iraq, taking into account some peculiarities of this country", the Mayak radio station reported.