Rice Says U.S. Will Ask Russia About Iraq Reports

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (file photo) (epa) March 26, 2006 -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reiterated today that Washington "takes very seriously" reports that Moscow may have given Saddam Hussein intelligence information during the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Appearing on U.S. NBC television today, Rice said the United States will "definitely" raise the issue with the Russian government.

A Pentagon report on March 24 cited two Iraqi documents as saying Russia obtained information from sources "inside the American Central Command" in Qatar. The report said battlefield intelligence was passed to Hussein through the former Russian ambassador in Baghdad, Vladimir Titorenko.

The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service has dismissed the claims.

(AFP)