US shows Russia the draft of a new UN Security Council resolution on Iraq

According to RF Foreign Ministry representatives, the US Deputy State Secretary Mark Grossman, who arrived in Moscow on Saturday on an official visit, will present the draft of a new UN Security Council resolution on Iraq to the Russian side.

RIA Novosti sources report that Grossman will try to gain Russia's support of the draft penned by the Americans. The United States plans to submit the draft for the UN Security Council consideration in the beginning of next week. According to the sources, it considers a possible use of military force against Iraq because the Iraqi side allegedly hinders the activities of international inspectors.

The RF Foreign Ministry confirmed that not only representatives from the US Department of State, but also envoys from the British Foreign Ministry will visit Moscow to take part in the consultations on the Iraqi situation. It's well known that the British Prime Minister Tony Blair fully supported the American draft and had been actively involved in its preparation.

On the eve of the visit, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, answering the questions of a RIA Novosti correspondent, confirmed that he will meet representatives from the US and Great Britain. He also said that he had a phone conversation with the US State Secretary Colin Powell who asked him to receive the envoys from Washington and London. According to Ivanov, Moscow is ready for a dialogue, although, the Russian side thinks that the priority now should be the earliest possible return of the UN inspectors to Iraq.

Presently, around 200 inspectors from 44 countries are ready to fly to Baghdad in order to find the answer to the question - whether Iraq is pursuing the development of weapons of mass destruction or not.

After his visit to Moscow, Grossman will visit Paris for a similar round of consultations. RIA Novosti sources speculate that the US seeks to gain not only Russia's but also France's support because both countries are the most sceptical about such a resolution.