Moscow Says Iraqi Violation of Latest UN Resolution Groundless

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, November 20, 2002

Moscow Says Iraqi Violation of Latest UN Resolution Groundless

The Russian Foreign Ministry has dismissed as groundless the claims that Iraq's actions in no-fly zones in the north and south of the country violate the latest UN Security Council resolution 1441.

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The Russian Foreign Ministry has dismissed as groundless the claims that Iraq's actions in no-fly zones in the north and south of the country violate the latest UN Security Council resolution 1441.

Such claims have no legal grounds, the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Russia is alarmed by reports of growing tension in so-called no-fly zones in north and south Iraq," it said.

"The growing number of incidents between the US air force and Iraqi air defense there not only further aggravate the difficult situation in and around Iraq, but also badly complicate a political and diplomatic solution of the Iraqi problem and obstruct the formation of a due atmosphere for the normal operation of international inspectors," the ministry stressed.

The United States on Monday accused Baghdad of violating newly adopted UN Security Council resolution 1441 by firing at US and British warplanes patrolling "no-fly zones" in the north and southof Iraq. But Baghdad dismissed the allegation as a cover for "aggression" against Iraq.

US and British warplanes have been patrolling the northern and southern no-fly zones since the 1991 Gulf War with the claimed aimof protecting the Kurds in the north and Shiite Muslims in the south from persecution of the Iraqi government.

Iraq does not recognize the air exclusion zones and has regularly opened fire at Western planes enforcing patrols over the two no-fly zones.

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