Baghdad (ANTARA News/Reuters) - Iraq has signed a contract to buy 18 Lockheed Martin F-16 warplanes to bolster its air force, an adviser to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Monday.

"The contract was signed ... and a part of the contract cost was sent to the bank account of the company," Maliki`s media adviser, Ali al-Moussawi, said.

He did not give the size of the payment that had already been made, or the overall cost of the contract. (M014)

Editor: Kunto Wibisono
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