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Russia opposes military action against Iraq

Graphic

Dispute over U.N. weapons inspectors

October 31, 1997
Web posted at: 1:27 p.m. EST (1827 GMT)

CAIRO, Egypt (CNN) -- Russia's foreign minister condemned Iraq Friday for its defiance of the U.N. Security Council, but said Western countries should not take military action against the Arab nation in the dispute over weapons inspections.

"We are against any use of force," Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov said at a news conference in Cairo. "I speak about this now because some voices have appealed, in particular the United Kingdom, in favor of the use of force against Iraq. We will strongly object to it."

"As for the developments in Iraq, we feel very much concerned. We do not think the decision taken by Baghdad recently is the best possible decision," he added.

Primakov made his comments a day after speaking with U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on this week's developments in Iraq.

On Thursday, Iraq refused to allow two American members of the United Nations weapons inspection team to enter the country. A day earlier, Iraq ordered American U.N. inspectors to leave the country within a week -- a move that prompted the United States to warn of "serious consequences" if Iraq does not back down.

Iraq, meanwhile, showed no signs of backing down Friday, saying the country was forced to take such action.

"Iraq has no alternative to come out of this dark tunnel which the United States has put Iraq in," read a front-page editorial in Al-Thawra, the official newspaper of the ruling Baath Party.

Security Council to discuss issue Friday

Hussein

The 15-member Security Council planned to meet Friday to try to devise a response to the Iraqi challenge. Russia, France and China have long opposed efforts to tighten sanctions for Iraq's failure to cooperate with U.N. inspectors.

But at the news conference Friday, Primakov criticized Iraq, urging Hussein to "heed the opinion of its friends and change its position."

"We think the decision by Baghdad is very, very serious and has put us in a very difficult situation," Primakov said.

Asked if he would travel to Baghdad to mediate, Primakov said, "If I receive instructions from the president, I will fulfill."

During the 1991 Gulf War, Primakov traveled to Baghdad as a Soviet envoy in an unsuccessful attempt to mediate with President Hussein after the fighting had begun.

On Thursday, Britain and the United States said military action against Iraq could not be ruled out. Washington also condemned Baghdad for turning away the two inspectors.

U.S. State Department spokesman James Rubin, asked if a military response was a possibility, said, "We are not ruling any option out at this time."

The 40 U.N. inspectors in Iraq -- 10 of whom are American -- are charged with the dismantling of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and the programs needed to build them.

The U.N. Security Council has said it will not lift economic sanctions, including a near-total oil embargo, until the inspectors certify Iraq's full compliance.

Reuters contributed to this report.

 
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