Russia eager to participate in rebuilding Iraq

Russia is ready to participate in settling the situation in Iraq, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov reported at a press conference today after his talks with his French counterpart Dominique de Villepin. According to Ivanov, this participation requires creating corresponding conditions: Iraq should be provided sovereignty and an independent government. Ivanov urged holding an international conference involving Iraq's representatives in order to tackle Iraq's problems and work out a corresponding program for Iraq's rebuilding that would receive international support.

Villepin said, in his turn, that he would like to hear the position of Iraqi policymakers themselves at the conference. Moreover, the French official emphasized the necessity of dispatching a UN special envoy to Iraq as well as creating a task force for resolving Iraqi issues.