During the meeting, on January 29, 2002, Lt Gen Haboosh says that the Iraqis are keen to have a relationship with Germany's intelligence agency "under diplomatic cover", adding that he hopes to develop that relationship through Mr Hoffner.

The German replies: "My organisation wants to develop its relationship with your organisation."

In return, the Iraqis offered to give lucrative contracts to German companies if the Berlin government helped prevent an American invasion of the country.

I'm not sure what to make of this. I heard rumors to this effect during the whole balagan before the war, but I always felt the issue was more an iodeological/cultural divide. It could be that the fix was in, but this really sounds more like something the French would do.