News In Brief

Iraqi deputy prime minister leaves Moscow after talks

Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz ended two days of talks with Kremlin leaders Friday. Mr. Aziz, who is also foreign minister, visited Moscow on what diplomats said was a mission to seek further Soviet military aid for Baghdad in the Persian Gulf war.

In the only official Soviet report of the talks, the news agency Tass said Aziz met with Prime Minister Nikolai Tikhonov and Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko.

Although the Gulf war was expected to dominate Aziz's visit, Arab diplomats said the talks were evidence of a shift in Soviet Middle East strategy that includes strengthening ties with Iraq, Egypt, and Jordan.