A rchive Date
[ 26-09-2002 ]
Category
[ International Relations ]
sub-Categoy
[ Russia ]
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[http://www.canoe.ca/CNEWS/iraqputin_sep26-ap.html
Putin calls for solution to Iraqi crisis
By JUDITH INGRAM - The Associated Press
Thursday, September 26, 2002
MOSCOW (AP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin called Thursday for a quick solution to the Iraqi crisis using political and diplomatic means, and suggested no new United Nations resolutions were necessary.
"We favor a rapid resolution of the situation by political and diplomatic means, on the basis of existing U.N. Security Council regulations and in line with the principles of international law," Putin said as he accepted credentials from a group of new foreign emissaries to Moscow, including the ambassador from Iraq.
"The decision to resume the activities of U.N. inspectors in Iraq opens up the possibility for this decision to be put into action rapidly and allows the concerns of the international community to be allayed," Putin said.
Iraq announced last week that it would accept the unconditional return of international inspectors nearly four years after they were forced out. Skeptical of Baghdad's intentions, the United States and Britain are pushing for a new U.N. resolution that would tighten the timetable for Iraq to comply with previous resolutions and authorize force if it fails to do so.
Russia, a longtime ally of Iraq and Security Council member that seeks to avoid a U.S. attack on Baghdad, had expressed solid opposition to the idea of a new resolution until this week. Two ministers indicated flexibility.
On Monday, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov was quoted as saying that Russia would not necessarily oppose a new U.N. resolution aimed at making the work of U.N. weapons' inspectors more effective. On Wednesday, Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov told reporters in Moscow that Russia would be prepared for consultations, but since no consultations on a new U.N. document on Iraq had begun, it was too early to say whether Russia could support it.
The comments from Putin, the final arbiter of Russian policy, suggested that Russia would continue its opposition to a new resolution and could exercise its veto power in the Security Council if such a resolution were introduced.
Sergei Mironov, the chairman of Russia's upper house of parliament, echoed Putin's opposition to a new resolution after meeting Thursday with Christian Poncelet, the president of the parliament of France - another veto-wielding member of the Security Council.
"Mr. Poncelet and I agreed that, first of all, it is necessary to make certain whether or not Iraq is developing weapons of mass destruction and only then make any international legal decisions about Iraq," Mironov was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency.
Moscow fears military strikes could threaten its economic interests in Iraq, which owes Moscow at least $7 billion in Soviet-era debt.
 World Fact Book (CIA)]
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