Russia will not cancel Iraq's debt accumulated during the rule of ousted leader Saddam Hussein, the speaker of the Duma, Guennady Seleznev, said in remarks published here yesterday.

Russia "will not wipe out the debt," he told the Portuguese daily Diario de Noticias.

"We would love to discuss the total amount of the debt with the legitimate Iraqi government, but unfortunately that does not exist any more," he said.

"I am convinced however that we will reach an agreement in the future on how this debt is to be reimbursed," he added.

The debt built up during Saddam's rule is now estimated at some $8-billion.

There is a further $2-billion relating to contracts signed with the former leadership which have now been cancelled, said Seleznev, speaker of Russia's lower house of parliament.

He reiterated Moscow's stand on Iraq, especially over its alleged weapons of mass destruction, saying "we have not changed our minds".

"Russia still believes that war was not inevitable... and that the question of Iraq and the formation of a future government must be discussed within the UN".

Russia, along with France and Germany, spearheaded opposition to the war launched on March 20, which toppled Saddam, ending his 24-year rule.

But Seleznev said Russia was ready to resolve its differences with other European countries, which supported the US-led war.

"Russia cannot remain the injured party, while all the other countries are restoring ties with the US and Britain," he said. - Sapa-AFP.