Russian Permanent Representative: UN will Lose Its Significance if It Supports Resolution on Iraq

The UN will lose its significance if it supports the resolution with respect to Iraq, which leads to the violation of international law and is not substantiated by facts, believes permanent representative of Russia to the UN Sergei Lavrov. He said this on Tuesday evening during the annual briefing for Russian and foreign journalists conducted in the premises of the Russian mission in New York.

According to Lavrov, whose speech devoted to the Russian stand on the settlement of the crisis around Iraq was listened to by an unprecedented number of representatives of Western media - more than 90 journalists, the possibility of a peaceful solution of the Iraqi problem remains.

"We believe that UN Security Council Resolution 1441 works, and are convinced that the conclusions made by UNMOVIC head Hans Blix to the effect that since January Baghdad has been more actively cooperating with international inspectors are right," Lavrov stressed.

The diplomat also pointed out that "the steps made by Iraq create a potential for the peaceful solution, and this is a key factor, which cannot but be taken into account.