1 hour, 1 minute ago
By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV, Associated Press Writer
MOSCOW - Reflecting a new chill between Moscow and Washington, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov accused the United States on Wednesday of trying to destroy Iraq (news - web sites) and waging what he dubbed an information war against Russia.
Ivanov also supported the proposal of some legislators to put off ratification of a pivotal U.S.-Russian nuclear arms control treaty, saying the war in Iraq could fuel unfair criticism of the pact.
"Maybe now is not the right moment psychologically to bring this document up for ratification," Ivanov said. "If we wait for some time, and concentrate all our efforts on ending the war ... then at a more quiet moment we can quickly deal with this issue."
The treaty, signed in May by Russian President Vladimir Putin (news - web sites) and President Bush (news - web sites), calls on both nations to cut their strategic nuclear arsenals by about two-thirds, to 1,700 to 2,200 deployed warheads, by 2012.
The Senate unanimously approved the treaty earlier this month in what was seen as a diplomatic move to win Russian support for war in Iraq. But Moscow has only hardened its stance.
In one of his strongest anti-war statements to date, Ivanov accused Washington of hypocrisy and said its strikes were endangering the wider region.
"What democracy are they talking about when they are trying to completely destroy the country?" Ivanov said.
"If such massive bombardment continues, a humanitarian, economic and environmental catastrophe will become inevitable in the near future, not only in Iraq but in the whole region."
Ivanov dismissed U.S. allegations that Russian companies provided Iraq with anti-tank guided missiles, satellite jamming devices and night-vision goggles in violation of U.N. sanctions.
"We are seriously concerned by the attempts of certain circles in the United States to drag Russia into an information war over Iraq by making unfounded accusations," Ivanov said. The two companies that have been implicated in the transaction, Aviakonversiya and KBP Tula, have denied any role.
A senior U.S. diplomat countered that the United States has "very hard information" contradicting Moscow's denials. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the diplomat said that at least Aviakonversiya had dealt directly with Baghdad and that it had employees tending to the equipment in Iraq.
The diplomat said it was unclear whether, after repeated U.S. demands to investigate the alleged transfer of military equipment, Russian officials "just didn't look hard enough or whether there were efforts to conceal things." Washington is demanding that Russia punish the companies involved.
Despite his fierce criticism of the war, Ivanov emphasized that Moscow wants to preserve good relations with Washington. "We consider it inadmissible to slide back into confrontation," he said.
The U.S. diplomat said neither side was "mincing words" over their disagreement over Iraq, but speculated that at least some of the angry rhetoric from Russian officials was "tending to the home front."
A poll conducted earlier this week showed a dramatic rise of anti-American sentiments in Russia with 55 percent of respondents saying they view the United States negatively, compared to 15 percent last summer.
Only 5 percent of 1,600 respondents in a nationwide poll completed earlier this week by the respected All-Russia Public Opinion Research Center said they sympathize with the United States in the war. Some 45 percent said they side with Iraq, 46 percent said they supported neither side, and the rest were undecided. The poll had a margin of error of 3.4 percent.