Russia ready to veto U.S.-British resolution on Iraq

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
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Lets see what it will take coerce Russia, China and France to join the US bandwagon :D. It has to be more than $30 billion bribe offered to Turkey.

**Ivanov: Russia ready to veto U.S.-British resolution on Iraq to protect `international stability’ **

BEIJING - Russia is ready to veto a U.S.-British resolution under discussion in the U.N. Security Council authorizing war against Iraq if such a step is necessary to preserve “international stability,” Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said Friday.

“Russia has the right to a veto in the U.N. Security Council and will use it if it is necessary in the interests of international stability,” Ivanov said at a news conference.

The foreign minister’s comments came a day after China and Russia issued a joint declaration saying war with Iraq “can and should be avoided” and appealing for more time for U.N. weapons inspectors there.

The United States is seeking votes to support a U.N. Security Council resolution authorizing war. France and Russia — both permanent council members with veto power over U.N. activities — as well as Germany are pushing a plan to strengthen and continue weapons inspections for at least four more months.

France, which has led the opposition to military action against Iraq, is also strongly opposed to the U.S.-backed resolution. France also has veto power and has hinted it might use it.

“Of course, if you use the veto power you should fully understand the responsibilities of it before using it. It can only be used for international peace and stability,” Ivanov said. “At the same time Russia will not be in favor of any new resolution which allows the use of military force directly or indirectly to solve the Iraqi issue.”

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Russia hails Iraqi decision](http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,6061254%255E1702,00.html) News Interactive

March 01, 2003

A TOP Russian official today hailed Iraq’s decision to destroy its banned Al-Samoud 2 missiles and said Baghdad had launched a new round of cooperation with international disarmament inspectors.

“Iraq made a positive decision in responding to the demands of (chief weapons inspector) Hans Blix and is ready to destroy its Al-Samoud 2 missiles,” Deputy Foreign Minister Yury Fedotov told ITAR-TASS news agency. “The Iraqi side is giving international inspectors new documents and materials,” he added.

Both Iraq and the United Nations confirmed early today that Baghdad would start destroying its stockpile of Al-Samoud 2 missiles later in the day. Fedotov reiterated Russia’s opposition to US threats of waging war on Iraq if its fails to comply with disarmament demands.

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Russia still very much opposing US policies…

Putin affirms anti-war stance](BBC NEWS | Europe | Putin affirms anti-war stance)

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It seems these countries (Russia, France, China, etc) are calling America's bluff on the future irrelevance of the UN. That or maybe they think that if the US openly rejects the UN they can take positions as great diplomats and cast America as reckless crazies...

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by spoon: *
It seems these countries (Russia, France, China, etc) are calling America's bluff on the future irrelevance of the UN. That or maybe they think that if the US openly rejects the UN they can take positions as great diplomats and cast America as reckless crazies...
[/QUOTE]

Well the US is being reckless with it's statements as it is. They are threatening to unilaterally attack Iraq even if they don't get a second UN resolution passed.

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“Russia openly declares that, if the draft that has been submitted for consideration, and which contains unfulfillable ultimatum-type demands, is put to a vote, Russia will vote against this resolution,”

Ivanov: Russia Will Use Its UN Veto](http://www.sptimes.ru/archive/times/850/top/t_8918.htm)

The St. Petersburg Times 11 Mar 03

MOSCOW - Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov took Russia’s opposition to war against Iraq a step further on Monday and said flatly that Russia would vote against the proposed new U.S.-British resolution at the UN Security Council. “Russia believes that no further resolutions of the UN Security Council are necessary and, therefore, Russia openly declares that, if the draft that has been submitted for consideration, and which contains unfulfillable ultimatum-type demands, is put to a vote, Russia will vote against this resolution,” Ivanov said. Ivanov did not use the word “veto,” but a Foreign Ministry spokesperson confirmed that he meant exactly that.

But Ivanov’s comments seemed directed at the present wording of the draft. The United States and Britain have indicated they were willing to consider amending the text and, by emphasizing that Russia’s objections related to the resolution in its current form, Ivanov left considerable room for Russia to change course. President Vladimir Putin has, so far, played his cards close to his chest. In other disagreements with the United States - such as NATO expansion and U.S. withdrawal from the ABM Treaty - Ivanov has espoused harder positions than those ultimately adopted by Putin.

As the diplomacy intensified, Putin returned from a weekend retreat in the Black Sea resort of Sochi to hold a closed-door meeting with his closest aides. The Kremlin would not comment on whether Putin discussed Russia’s strategy in the Iraq crisis during the meeting, which was attended by Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, Kremlin Chief of Staff Alexander Voloshin, Security Council chief Vladimir Rushailo, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov, Interior Minister Boris Gryzlov and FSB head Nikolai Patrushev, in addition to Ivanov.

Putin’s press secretary, Alexei Gromov, was quoted by Interfax as saying the meeting at Putin’s country estate in Novo-Ogareyevo was held to discuss questions of domestic and foreign policy.