Moscow, 24 August 2007 Somalia has urged Russia to join the development of national deposits of hydrocarbons and offered Moscow exclusive uranium shipments.

"We invite all Russian oil and energy companies to take maximum part in the work under way in Somalia," Somalian Ambassador to Russia Mohamed Handule said at a news conference in Moscow on August 22.

Somalia's draft law on the utilisation of subsurface mineral resources will ease operations by foreign companies considerably, he said. Somalia also wants to cooperate with Russia actively in the radioactive materials sector, the diplomat said. "We want to offer uranium shipments to Russia first and foremost," he said.

Source: New Europe Weekly