Russian envoy meets al-Sadr in Iraq

Russia will end up with far more access to Iraqi oil in the long run

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-iraq-al-sadr-russia,0,2202282.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines

"NAJAF, Iraq -- Russia's ambassador to Iraq flew to this southern city Monday for talks with radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, the embassy said.

Sheik Jalil al-Nouri, an al-Sadr aide in Najaf, confirmed the talks had started and that a delegation of Sunni tribal leaders from the volatile Anbar province towns of Ramadi and Fallujah were expected to meet with al-Sadr later.

"The meeting was held to develop the relationship between Russia and Muqtada al-Sadr because the al-Sadr movement is very influential and well known in Iraq," al-Nouri said, without providing further details.
He added that the meeting had nothing to do with al-Sadr's talks with the Anbar delegation"

so what are the russians discussing with al-Sadr?

US was discussing with Bin Laden in the days of Soviet occupation on Afghanistan????????