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Russian company interested in Iraqi oil

A delegation from the Russian-Belarussian oil company, Slavneft, has gone to Iraq for talks on increasing operations in Baghdad.

A company official said they were preparing to start oil production in Iraq as soon as the international embargo was lifted.

The delegation led by the company's president, Mikhail Gutseriyev was due to meet Iraq's deputy prime minister and other government officials.

Slavneft has recently opened an office in Baghdad.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service