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Russia to start coup in Iraq?

Moscow concerned about oil contracts in event of U.S. invasion
Posted: October 23, 2002
1:00 a.m. Eastern

(snip)

Copyright 2002 - WorldNetDaily.com

The specter of a U.S. attack on Iraq has Russian officials concerned 
about the nation's oil contracts with Saddam Hussein, causing talk that 
a Russian-led coup may be the only way to protect Moscow's interests, 
reports Pravda online.  

According to the Pravda report, an opposition leader in Iraq has said 
that in the event of the overthrow of Saddam by U.S. forces, Iraq's oil 
contracts with the United States will take priority over those of Russia, 
France and other countries.  

As a result, Russian President Vladimir Putin has promised that he will 
stand up for the interests of Russian oil producers in Iraq. Also, Russian 
officials at the U.N. yesterday rejected the latest U.S.-proposed Iraq 
resolution.  

A spokesman for the opposition Iraqi National Congress, Sharaf bin Ali 
Hussein, has announced that all oil contracts will be reconsidered if the 
opposition comes to power in Iraq, reports Pravda. He particularly 
mentioned contracts with Russian and French oil companies. Ali 
Hussein added that the contracts will not necessarily be eliminated. He 
did promise, however, that priority will be given to American oil 
companies.  

To counter Ali Hussein's intentions, some in Russia reportedly are 
talking about the nation's military organizing its own coup in Iraq. 
Russia has no vital interests in other countries of the Middle East, so 
protecting its interests in Iraq is seen as crucial, reports Pravda online.  

Russian oil giant LUKOIL's contract for the development of Iraqi oil 
deposits is estimated to be worth $20 billion. The extraction of oil 
cannot begin until the U.N. sanctions are lifted, but the company has 
already invested a great deal of money in the development of the 
deposit.  

The president of LUKOIL, Vagit Alekperov, has discussed with Putin the 
issue of his company's controlling stock in the Iraqi oil project.  

Alekperov says that neither Washington nor the Kremlin promised him 
any guarantees. However, he is confident that his contract will remain 
legal, no matter what kind of future regime Iraq might have.  

"Our contract was signed according to the norms of the international 
law. I am sure that Iraqi laws will be observed regardless of events," 
said Alekperov.  

LUKOIL Vice President Leonid Fedun earlier stated that if the new Iraqi 
regime is not friendly to Russia, it might ruin the plans of the company.  

"We do not hear any statements from the American government about 
the execution of the current contracts. As far as I can understand, the 
Russian leadership must be interested in these questions," commented 
Fedun.  

What if Russia were to deploy troops to Baghdad in its own coup 
attempt? In the words of a Pravda analyst, "This no longer seems to be 
the idea of a lunatic. ... It could provoke a crisis that the CIA and 
the U.S. State Department analysts did not even think of. Then, it will 
be the time for a different kind of world order, taking into consideration  
everybody's interests."

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Source - http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=29376


Cheers, Steve..

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