Blair Continues to Woo Russia for Support on Iraq

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, March 05, 2003

Blair Continues to Woo Russia for Support on Iraq

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British Prime Minister Tony Blair Wednesday met Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov at the Downing Street for talks on Iraq, as Britain enhances its efforts to persuade Russia not to block a UN resolution sanctioning war with Iraq.

Blair, back from two days of intensive talks near Belfast on Northern Ireland, discussed the Iraq crisis with Ivanov for about 50 minutes.

Ivanov, who met with his British counterpart Jack Straw on Tuesday, left the Downing Street without speaking to reporters.

Speaking before the talks between Blair and Ivanov, a Downing Street spokesman said Blair still expected that the 15-member UN Security Council would come round and support a new resolution.

Ivanov suggested on Tuesday that his country did not rule out the possibility to veto the new draft resolution tabled by the Britain to the UN Security Council last week.

Ivanov also said his country was unlikely to abstain in any Security Council vote on Iraq during a news conference after finishing his talks with Straw.

Backed by United States and Spain, Britain tabled a draft resolution on Iraq to the UN Security Council in New York last week, declaring that Iraq violates earlier UN resolutions and would face serious consequences.

Russia, a veto-wielding permanent members of the UN Security Council, is opposed to US plans backed by Britain to disarm Iraq by force, insisting that Iraqi disarmament can be achieved by continuing and strengthening UN weapons inspections in Iraq.

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