Govt.
spokesman re-denies relations with Russian arms deal

BAGHDAD/ Aswat al-Iraq: Iraqi government spokesman re-denied today his relation with any military or civil contract, pointing that his official position does not permit him, in reference to the Russian arms deal.

In a press statement, copy received by Aswat al-Iraq, he rejected the news on indulging in the contracts.

Earlier, Parliamentary Integrity Commission MP Jawad al-Shihaili announced that the suspects in the arms deal are very close to the government, who were within the official delegation that left for Russia.

Shihaili questioned the case, but added that "time is ripe to expose the corrupts".

Maliki's advisor Ali al-Mussawi announced that the deal was cancelled, in his statement to AFP.

Chairman of parliamentary Integrity Commission Baha' al-Araji sent a letter to Premier Maliki calling him to end the Russian arms deal.

Iraq signed two arms deals with Russia and Czech republic during the visit of Maliki, at a time the Kurdish Alliance expressed its "grave concern' of the arms deal.

Russian sources announced that the cancellation of the deal was made due to "US pressures".