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It's good that Russian officials are cautious about warfare against Iraq. It would be better still if their concerns would also involve Chechnya. Bert Gedin (Birmingham, U.K.). >From: "Nathaniel Hurd" <nathaniel_hurd@hotmail.com> >To: casi-discuss@lists.casi.org.uk >Subject: [casi] Russian Officials’ Quotes – War – Disarmament – Inspections >Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2003 11:29:17 -0500 > >Russian Official Statements on a Unilateral War on Iraq, Disarmament and >Inspections >* Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov >* Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov >* Russian Deputy Ambassador to the UN Gennady Gatilov >* Russian Parliament > >*********************************** > >Source: Security Council, 4688th meeting, S/PV.4688, provisional verbatim >transcript > >Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, statement to Security Council meeting >on “Combating Terrorism”, 20 January 2003 > >[begin] The multidimensional strategy to combat international terrorism, >developed under United Nations auspices and defined in Security Council >resolutions, has already proved its effectiveness. That took place when an >extremely dangerous hotbed of terrorism in Afghanistan was virtually >eliminated through a joint effort. That development should be further >strengthened. A successful outcome will depend largely on preserving the >unity of a broad anti-terrorist coalition, which must continue to be based >on the solid foundation of the Charter of the United Nations and on >international law. We must be careful not to take unilateral steps that >might threaten the unity of the anti-terrorist coalition. > >In that context, we favour a political settlement of the situation >concerning Iraq, in strict conformity with relevant Security Council >resolutions, including resolution 1441 (2002), which the Council adopted >unanimously. [end] > >[begin] It is also alarming that terrorists are seeking to acquire weapons >of mass destruction. We cannot allow such a catastrophe to take place. The >non-proliferation regimes for such weapons should be further strengthened. >[end] > >*********************************** > >Source: ITAR-TASS News Agency, “There are Still Chances to Settle Iraq >Situation - Igor Ivanov”, 20 January 2003 > >Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, press encounter (UN headquarters), 20 >January 2003 > >[begin] Much important work has been done in the past two months...The >tasks >set before the inspectors necessitate the continuation of their >efforts...From our point of view, the political and diplomatic chances to >normalize the situation are far from exhausted. Unanimous approval of >resolution 1441 by the U.N. Security Council has shown that the world >community is aware of the need to settle the Iraq issue by political means. >The inspectors must be given a chance to discharge their mission. [end] > >*********************************** >Source: Dafna Linzer, “U.S. Poised for Military Action in Iraq, Allies Say >There’s No Justification Now for War, Associated Press, 21 January 2003 > >Russian Deputy Ambassador to the UN Gennady Gatilov > >[begin] The real situation shows that inspections are going on and so the >[1441] resolution is being implemented...There are some problems which are >solvable and yesterday the Iraqis expressed their goodwill for further >cooperation with the inspectors. I think the sense of the council is that >the majority is against military action. [end] > >*********************************** > >Source: Mara D. Bellaby, “Ivanov Reiterates that only U.N. Security Council >Can Authorize Use of Force against Iraq’, Associated Press, 22 January 2003 > >Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov > >[begin] A decision to use force is only for the U.N. Security Council to >make. [end] > >*********************************** > >Source: Mara D. Bellaby, “Ivanov Reiterates that only U.N. Security Council >Can Authorize Use of Force against Iraq’, Associated Press, 22 January 2003 > >[begin] Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma, overwhelming >approved a statement calling on the Kremlin to take all possible steps to >prevent unilateral U.S. military action against Iraq. The measure passed >229-1. The Duma said that in spite of Iraq’s “positive cooperation” with >the >United Nation’s two-month-old monitoring program, “the United States is not >waiting for the results of the commission’s work or the U.N. Security >Council’s assessment but is leading preparations for a military operation, >the aim of which is an armed invasion of Iraq to change the country’s >leadership by force.” > >The lawmakers said Washington appeared ready to pursue “its own >geopolitical >aims under the cover of U.N. resolutions.” > >Russia's lower house of parliament, the State Duma, overwhelming approved a >statement calling on the Kremlin to take all possible steps to prevent >unilateral U.S. military action against Iraq. The measure passed 229-1. The >Duma said that in spite of Iraq's "positive cooperation" with the United >Nation's two-month-old monitoring program, "the United States is not >waiting >for the results of the commission's work or the U.N. Security Council's >assessment but is leading preparations for a military operation, the aim of >which is an armed invasion of Iraq to change the country's leadership by >force." > >The lawmakers said Washington appeared ready to pursue “its own >geopolitical >aims under the cover of U.N. resolutions.” > >Russian officials have long urged Washington to avoid acting alone, saying >it would throw the international anti-terrorist coalition into disarray. > >The Duma warned that U.S. action to “change the political regime in one of >the Arab states through direct foreign military interference would set the >most dangerous precedent, which is unacceptable in the 21st century.” > >“That step would undoubtedly lead to the breakdown of all systems of >international relations,” the statement said. [end] > >*********************************** > >Source: Deutsche Presse-Agentur, “Kremlin Walks a Tightrope in Iraq >Crisis”, >22 January 2003 > >Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov > >[begin] We will not support unilateral military action against Iraq. [end] > >*********************************** > >Source: Reuters, “Russia Says No Grounds for Force Against Iraq”, 23 >January >2003, >http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=2096001 > >Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, press encounter at meeting with >European Union ministers, 23 January 2003 > >[begin] "Russia believes that there are no grounds at the moment to use >military force against Iraq...There is still political and diplomatic >leeway >to resolve the Iraq issue...The efforts of the international community must >be directed now at helping international inspectors perform their >mission...This is the direction we intend to pursue, among others, along >with the European Union. [end] > >*********************************** > >Nathaniel Hurd >Consultant on United Nations Iraq policy >Tel. (Mobile): 917-407-3389 >Fax: 718-504-4224 >Residential Address: >90 7th Ave. >Apt. #6 >Brooklyn, NY 11217 > > > > >_________________________________________________________________ >Help STOP SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* >http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail > > >_______________________________________________ >Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. >To unsubscribe, visit >http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss >To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk >All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk _________________________________________________________________ Use MSN Messenger to send music and pics to your friends http://messenger.msn.co.uk _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk