Moscow will still be opposed to attempts to directly or indirectly legalise use of force against Iraq

Russian Ambassador to the UN Sergei Lavrov has said as addressing a meeting of the UN Security Council on Iraq that Moscow will be opposed to any attempts to directly or indirectly legalise the use of force against Iraq or to shift responsibility for it on to the international community represented by UN." He stressed it would approach any Security Councils' decision on Iraqi settlement from that position. According to him, the Russian leadership maintains energetic contacts with many countries, including Security Council members, aiming to achieve political settlement of the crisis. The Russian ambassador stressed that objective prerequisites for that were available.

At the same time, he indicated that UN methods had not been exhausted, the fact admitted even by advocates of the use of force /against Iraq/.

Lavrov also indicated that Russia was open to dialogue with every country. Different opinions on the Iraqi problem must not cause sliding down to confrontation in global affairs.