Moscow is disappointed with new draft of the US resolution on Iraq

Moscow has started hearings on Washington's new resolution on Iraq presented to the permanent members of the UN Security Council on Monday in New York.

"Even though we still need to study all the clauses of the draft resolution in detail, what catches the eye is that, on the whole, there is little difference in the principle issues between the new draft and the previous Anglo-American proposals, which Russia and other permanent members of the UN Security Council found unacceptable", well-informed sources in Moscow told RIA Novosti.

"Such developments provoke disappointment, especially taking into account the fact that the US official representatives have been doing a lot of talk about the readiness to consider the stances of other nations and to reach a mutually-acceptable compromise", stressed the sources. "So, in the near future the UN Security Council is expected to work hard and intensively on the Iraqi issue." On Monday the so-called "compromise" draft of the US resolution on Iraq was submitted for discussion to the permanent members of the UN Security Council. America believes that the draft takes into account the opinion of the UN Security Council partners. However, the UN Security Council has not reached an agreement on the draft so far.

According to RIA Novosti, even though the new text does not state directly the possibility of the automatic use of force against Iraq, it contains a clause which warns Baghdad of "serious consequences" in case of failing to comply with the resolution. The text still has reference to Iraq's alleged "violations" of the UN resolutions.

Other members of the UN Security Council believe that such statements can be used as a pretext for launching a military action.