The Slovak Foreign Affairs Ministry (MFA) sought to distance Slovakia from a list of 40 countries to which former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein allegedly paid millions of barrels of oil in return for support, the TASR news wire reported.
"We are aware of the list only from media," the ministry's spokesperson told journalists on January 27.
The list was announced Sunday by the Ministry of Oil, which cited documents of the State Oil Marketing Organisation (SOMO) as its source.
According to the ministry, it is evidence that Saddam Hussein wanted to thank those who turned a blind eye to the suffering of the Iraqi people.
Among the 40 listed countries are Australia, Belarus, Canada, China, the US, France, the UK, and Hungary.
Compiled by Beata Balogová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
