The Hindu : Russia reiterates support for Iraq

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 18, 2002

International

International

Russia reiterates support for Iraq

By Vladimir Radyuhin

Vladimir Putin

MOSCOW DEC. 17. The United Nations alone can decide the fate of Iraq, the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, said. ``The Iraq crisis must be resolved only on the basis of the United Nations Charter and Security Council mechanisms,'' Mr. Putin said today after talks with the visiting President of Yemen, Ali Abdullah Saleh.

In a joint declaration signed today Russia and Yemen called for the settlement of the Iraqi problem through "peaceful, political and diplomatic instruments, without resort to military force and on the basis of relevant U.N. resolutions.'' Mr. Putin accorded a warm welcome to the Yemeni leader, saying that Russia ``set great store by its ties with Yemen.'' He praised defence cooperation between the two countries, recalling that the Soviet Union and Russia had supplied $8 billion worth of weapons to Yemen. Mr. Ali Abdullah Saleh came to Moscow on the heels of a new crisis in Yemen's relations with the United States following the interception of a North Korean ship that carried Scad ballistic missiles to Yemen.

In another rebuff to Washington a senior Russian diplomat lauded ``constructive'' cooperation of Baghdad with international weapons inspectors. ``We are happy with the smooth, hitchless progress of inspections,'' the Deputy Foreign Minister, Yuri Fedotov, told a Russian newspaper today. "We are satisfied with Iraq's constructive, measured policy: Iraq is demonstrating good will on all issues.'' The Russian diplomat's remarks were in stark contrast with "scepticism'' about Baghdad's willingness to cooperate expressed by the Secretary of State, Colin Powell, on Monday.

Moscow's reiteration of support for Baghdad has special significance as it came in the wake of Iraq's decision to break off a lucrative oil contract with a Russian company.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

Stories in this Section

U.S. equipment for Pak. to fight terrorism

Pak. withdraws aircraft from forward operating bases

Russia reiterates support for Iraq

Britain calls Arab meet on Palestine

`Al-Qaeda trading in diamonds'

France getting mired in war?

N. Korea urged to roll back n-programme

Israel concerned over possible terror attack in Goa

Is the Quattrocchi case still on course?

West adopting double standards: Kanwal Sibal