Reflecting fears that a pro-U.S. administration in Iraq might declare Saddam-era contracts null and void, he said: "We must defend our interests so that the contracts signed under Saddam Hussein will not be cancelled and declared invalid."This is from that article you referenced. Seems to me that Russia might have better protected their interests by leveraging their UN vote for economic protection. They chose not to go this route leaving me to believe that keeping their "unique" relationship with Iraq and Saddam was about power that the US didn't have, not just economic interests.
Saddam noted that he makes his contracts with the Russian Government. Our international contracts are with Gulf Oil or the such. Saddam mentioned this specifically in a speech a short while back.