Russia Urges UN Security Council to be Unity over Iraq

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, January 25, 2003

Russia Urges UN Security Council to be Unity over Iraq

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov on Friday called for the unity within the UN Security Council on Iraq, adding that more objective information is needed before taking any action.

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Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov on Friday called for the unity within the UN Security Council on Iraq, adding that more objective information is needed before taking any action.

Ivanov, who is on a two-day visit to Greece for talks with European Union (EU) officials, said U.N. weapons inspectors in Iraq have not met major problems and they should be left to carry on their work even after Jan. 27.

Ivanov held talks Friday with his Greek counterpart George Papandreou, who currently presides over the EU Council of Ministers, as well as EU Common Foreign and Defence Policy High Representative Javier Solana.

The situation with Iraq dominated a good part of discussions, according to joint statement issued after the talks.

"It is imperative that unity be maintained within the Security Council," Ivanov said, adding that the international community must be given as much and as objective information as possible concerning Iraq's ability to manufacture weapons of mass destruction.

"If it does (have that ability), then we must act. If not, thenthe process for lifting sanctions against it (Iraq) must begin," he stressed.

On his part, Papandreou reiterated the EU's devotion to implementing all provisions listed in the Resolution 1441, while again voicing the EU's position for seeking a peaceful resolution to the problem.

Solana said the possibility of clashing views between Washington and the EU over Iraq would cause a "rift" between the two sides and make matters "more difficult". He added, however, that Resolution 1441 nevertheless records, in practice, the international community's acquiescence on the matter.

Both Papandreou and Ivanov praised the level of EU-Russia relations, with the former calling the relations of "strategic importance".

Ivanov echoed Papandreou's comments, expressing his satisfaction with progress in Euro-Russia relations "due to joint efforts, first on the theoretical and now on the practical level."

The latest EU-Russia meeting came amid preparations for this summer's EU-Russia Summit in St. Petersburg, with Ivanov saying his government will submit a proposal there to further strengthen its ties with the bloc.

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