Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Ivanov Interview with Russian and Foreign Media on the Situation Around Iraq and on a Number of Other International Problems

RUSSIAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

November 1, 2002

Excerpt

Question: Igor Sergeyevich, please comment on the discussion now going on in the UN Security Council of the American draft resolution on Iraq.

Foreign Minister Ivanov: There continue the difficult consultations on Iraq. Over the last few days on certain positions it has been possible to bring the sides' approaches closer within the framework of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. Yet serious differences still remain concerning, first and foremost, issues relating to the demands being placed on the Iraqi side with regard to the conduct of inspections and possible consequences in case of violation by Iraq of UN Security Council resolutions. That implies the use of force. Russia has repeatedly stressed that we are against formulations which would give whomsoever the right unilaterally to automatically resort to the use of force. The use of force is possible only in accordance with a resolution of the Security Council. Therefore, we are seeking a formulation which would clearly presuppose that in case of origination of problems in the activity of inspectors or identification of violations of some or other provisions of the UN Security Council's resolution by Iraq, this question would be considered by the Security Council. It alone would take a decision on how to act in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, which envisages a variety of measures, including the use of force. Complex and painstaking work is now under way around these formulations. I repeat, on a whole array of positions we have seriously come closer, but questions remain on which it will yet be necessary to do some further work.

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