Baghdad, 9 October 2003 (RFE/RL) -- The U.S. military says a suicide car bomb at a police station in Baghdad killed three policemen and five civilians, one of three fatal attacks in Iraq today. A Spanish intelligence officer, Jose Antonio Bernal, was shot dead while leaving his home in Baghdad. And U.S. Central Command says a U.S. soldier died when a rocket-propelled grenade was fired on a convoy some 60 km northeast of Baghdad.
The latest violence comes as L. Paul Bremer, the country's U.S. administrator, is due to meet the Iraqi Governing Council again today over its concern about plans to deploy Turkish troops in Iraq.
Also today, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia will attend an international donors' conference for Iraq scheduled later this month, but likely only as an observer. Putin made the remarks today during the second day of a two-day meeting with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in the Ural Mountains.
Putin said it would be best if the conference were held after the passage of a new UN resolution that would give the United Nations more authority in Iraq. But the Russian president said it appears the scheduled date for the conference will remain 23-24 October in Madrid, whether or not such a resolution is passed by the UN Security Council.
"We will take part in this conference, most likely as an observer, because we want to know what is going on. It is my belief and my conviction that Iraq does need large funds, but I believe that these funds can be used efficiently only if a political settlement has been achieved [at the UN Security Council]." Putin said.
Schroeder expressed reservations about the dates, saying much preparation work still needs to be done by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. But he said it is up to Spain to set the date.
The latest violence comes as L. Paul Bremer, the country's U.S. administrator, is due to meet the Iraqi Governing Council again today over its concern about plans to deploy Turkish troops in Iraq.
Also today, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia will attend an international donors' conference for Iraq scheduled later this month, but likely only as an observer. Putin made the remarks today during the second day of a two-day meeting with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in the Ural Mountains.
Putin said it would be best if the conference were held after the passage of a new UN resolution that would give the United Nations more authority in Iraq. But the Russian president said it appears the scheduled date for the conference will remain 23-24 October in Madrid, whether or not such a resolution is passed by the UN Security Council.
"We will take part in this conference, most likely as an observer, because we want to know what is going on. It is my belief and my conviction that Iraq does need large funds, but I believe that these funds can be used efficiently only if a political settlement has been achieved [at the UN Security Council]." Putin said.
Schroeder expressed reservations about the dates, saying much preparation work still needs to be done by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. But he said it is up to Spain to set the date.