Russia, Canada adopt a joint statement on Iraq

Russia and Canada have adopted a joint statement on Iraq, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said at a press conference upon the end of his talks with Canadian Foreign Minister William Graham.

The adopted statement in particular runs that Russia and Canada hail the UN Security Council's unanimous approval of Resolution 1441 and pledge to fully assist its implementation. According to the Russian and Canadian sides, Iraq should fully and immediately fulfil this and all the relevant resolutions of the Security Council in a bid to ensure peace and security.

Russia and Canada, the statement runs, intend to render all-out support to the Chairman of the UN inspection commission and director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in fulfilling the obligations in line with the UN Security Council.

We call on Iraq, the statement continues, to meet its obligations unconditionally and fully in the disarmament area in accordance with Resolution 1441 of the UN Security Council and to create the necessary conditions for the inspectors to accomplish their mission, otherwise it will have to face serious consequences.

As to the purpose of the contacts between Russian diplomats and representatives of the Iraqi opposition in other countries, the Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov remarked that "this is common diplomatic practice", though some people "try to present such diplomatic contacts as sensational." To quote Ivanov, the diplomats' task is to obtain objective information.