MOSCOW, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari on Friday asked Russia to write off 80 percent of its debt to the country and hoped an agreement in this regard would be inked this year.

    "We hope to sign an agreement on writing off 80 percent of Iraq's debt to Russia before the year ends," Zebari told a press conference in Moscow.

    There will be no discrimination against Russia's oil companies in Iraq, Zebari said.

    "We welcome Russia's oil companies on our market even before an oil and gas law is adopted. In particular, we plan to attract the min oil refinery, equipment supplies and drilling works," Itar-Tass news agency quoted him as saying.

    "We plan to grant privileges to Russia's companies. But free commercial competition remains effective, as it is the groundwork of such activities," he said.

    Zebari, who is on a visit to Moscow, said earlier this week that it is necessary for Western coalition troops to stay in Iraq for the moment and that it is hard to predict when they will leave the country.