The Russia Journal :: The Russia Journal :: Analysis || TopNews Russian FM: Iraq inspection delay ‘unforgivable’
MOSCOW - Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said Friday that Moscow was not convinced of allegations by the United States and other countries that Iraq had links with the al-Qaida terrorist network or had developed weapons of mass destruction.
It was the first reaction from Moscow to the dossier on Iraq that British Prime Minister Tony Blair presented in London earlier this week, and it indicated that Russia would continue its opposition to a tough new U.N. Security Council resolution being pushed by the United States and Britain. The draft resolution would set a strict timetable for Iraqi compliance with weapons inspections and authorize force if Baghdad fails to cooperate.
In response to a reporter's question about the allegations of Iraq's terrorist ties and weapons programs, Ivanov said Moscow had not received any evidence.
"Indeed, in the past few days, official representatives of the United States and Great Britain have claimed to have information on Iraqi links with the al-Qaida terrorist organization and Iraqi assistance to (Osama) bin Laden in building chemical weapons and various similar statements," Ivanov told a news conference after meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda.
"There is no definite proof of that in the report on weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, which was recently presented in London. This is why Russia is so persistently pushing for the quickest return of international inspectors to Iraq, so that the inspectors, in line with the U.N. Security Council resolutions, could answer these allegations."
Ivanov said Moscow would continue to insist on the weapons inspectors' rapid return.
"We believe that it would be an unforgivable mistake now to delay the departure of international inspectors to Iraq," Ivanov told a news conference.
However, after a closed meeting with legislators at the lower house of parliament, Ivanov indicated that Moscow might be prepared to compromise.
"We are open for dialogue," Ivanov said.
Pro-Iraq legislator Vladimir Zhirinovsky, who attended the meeting with Ivanov, also obliquely indicated that Russia might be ready to consider U.S. and British demands for a tough U.N. resolution.
"The United States has made the final decision to launch a military operation," Zhirinovsky said. "It is morally awkward that we will lose our final partner in the Middle East."
U.S. Undersecretary of State Marc Grossman is scheduled to arrive in Moscow on Saturday for talks intended to win Russian support for the U.S.-British draft Security Council resolution, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow said. The British Embassy said that Peter Ricketts, political director of British Foreign Office, would also be arriving.
Grossman will arrive from Paris, where he is expected to face stiff resistance. French President Jacques Chirac has proposed a two-step process in which the Security Council resolution would call for unfettered access and cooperation with inspections and would be followed by a second one authorizing force should Iraq defy the council. /AP/ - [27 Sep 2002]
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