Russia Opposes Using Pretext to Topple Iraqi Regime

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, December 11, 2002

Russia Opposes Using Pretext to Topple Iraqi Regime

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The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that Moscow opposed using the stand-off with Iraq over its alleged possession of weapons of mass destruction as a pretext for attempting to overthrow the Baghdad regime.

"Work on eliminating Iraqi weapons of mass destruction cannot be replaced by efforts to change the incumbent Iraqi regime," the ministry 's spokesman, Alexander Yakovenko, was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying.

The United Nations Charter could not issue such a mandate, "and an attempt to secure the UN's blessing to remove the legitimate Iraqi leadership will damage the authority of this organization," he said.

The spokesman emphasized the importance of the successful continuation of the inspection and monitoring mission in Iraq, and the need for Baghdad to respond constructively.

Under UN Security Council Resolution 1441 approved last month, Iraq has been ordered to comply fully with international weapons inspectors in checking that it has no weapons of mass destruction,otherwise it faces possible military action.

Over the weekend Baghdad delivered a 12,000-page report on its weapons programs, ahead of a UN-imposed December 8 deadline.

Washington has threatened possible unilateral action if it considers Iraq to be in breach of the UN resolution.

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