The Australian: Russia against lifting sanctions [April 17, 2003]
Russia against lifting sanctions
April 17, 2003
RUSSIA will not support a US proposal to lift UN sanctions on Iraq if UN inspectors do not confirm the country has no weapons of mass destruction, a Russian foreign ministry official said.
"Regime change in Baghdad is not a condition for lifting economic sanctions on Iraq," the official told the Interfax news agency on condition of anonymity.
"There is a UN Security Council resolution for this, which clearly stipulates the disarmament of Iraq - something international inspectors must decide," he said, adding that Russia supported the return of UN inspectors.
US President George W Bush said yesterday he would soon propose a UN resolution ending the 12-year-old crippling economic sanctions, which put an embargo on the trade of Iraqi oil.
Russia - a fierce opponent to the US-led war that earlier cast doubt on US accusations that Iraq possessed biological, chemical or nuclear weapons - fears opening the floodgates of Iraqi oil could hurt its own economy, which is heavily reliant on oil exports.
Russia against lifting sanctions
April 17, 2003
RUSSIA will not support a US proposal to lift UN sanctions on Iraq if UN inspectors do not confirm the country has no weapons of mass destruction, a Russian foreign ministry official said.
"Regime change in Baghdad is not a condition for lifting economic sanctions on Iraq," the official told the Interfax news agency on condition of anonymity.
"There is a UN Security Council resolution for this, which clearly stipulates the disarmament of Iraq - something international inspectors must decide," he said, adding that Russia supported the return of UN inspectors.
US President George W Bush said yesterday he would soon propose a UN resolution ending the 12-year-old crippling economic sanctions, which put an embargo on the trade of Iraqi oil.
Russia - a fierce opponent to the US-led war that earlier cast doubt on US accusations that Iraq possessed biological, chemical or nuclear weapons - fears opening the floodgates of Iraqi oil could hurt its own economy, which is heavily reliant on oil exports.
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