Russia's Top Iraq Contractor to Pull Out

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's top contractor in Iraq (news - web sites), Tekhpromexport, is to pull its 370 staff out of Iraq because of rising violence, the company said Tuesday.



The state-owned company, which employed most of the 500 Russian nationals working to rebuild the country, was building a power station about 60 km (40 miles) outside Baghdad.


"The decision about the evacuation of Tekhpromexport's workers was taken yesterday morning," a statement quoted company head Sergei Molozhavy as saying.


"The question of the security of our personnel is the prime duty of Tekhpromexport's management. Even before our specialists were sent there, they studied the political situation in the country. On the basis of this information they drew up an (evacuation) plan."

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