Russian President Does Not Rule out New UN Resolution on Iraq

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, February 04, 2003

Russian President Does Not Rule out New UN Resolution on Iraq

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday that a new UN resolution on Iraq might be needed if UNinspectors are not satisfied with the possibilities of working in Iraq provided to them.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday that a new UN resolution on Iraq might be needed if UNinspectors are not satisfied with the possibilities of working in Iraq provided to them.

"We'll think about it. There is no such need at the moment, butI don't rule it out," Putin was quoted by the Interfax news agencyas saying after meeting with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

"We should receive information that Iraq has no weapons of massdestruction. However, the main decision on the use of force can bemade only by the UN Security Council," Putin said.

The position of the UN inspectors is key here, he noted. "We trust their professionalism and therefore believe that they shouldbe given an opportunity to complete their work in Iraq," Putin said.

Putin said the inspectors should say what they need to work more effectively in Iraq. "Let them tell us that. We will formulate requests and submit them to Iraq... After that we will discuss the situation in the UN Security Council," Putin said.

He reiterated Russia's stance that the Iraqi issue should be resolved by peaceful means. Putin, however, said that he and Berlusconiagreed that "the responsibility for the crisis lies mostly with Iraq."

Berlusconi, who briefed Putin on his recent visit with US President George W. Bush and meetings with European leaders, said military operations are a last resort.

"We need an answer to the question where 6,500 shells with chemical components went, whether there are direct connections with terrorist organizations that can use these shells. If we do not get an answer to these questions, the use of force is almost inevitable," Berlusconi said.

Berlusconi said he basically does not oppose the use of force, but it must be under the aegis of the United Nations.

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