Russian Foreign Ministry: Russia does Not Talk Saddam into Resigning

Russia is not talking Saddam Hussein into resigning, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Yuri Fedotov said commenting on some statements that Yevgeni Primakov and Gennady Seleznev had visited Iraq in an attempt to persuade Saddam Hussein to step down.

According to Mr. Fedotov, "the details have been officially clarified." "Russia is not involved into any persuasion. It is an internal affair of the Iraqi people," the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister said.

In his interview with an Egyptian TV-channel -for the text version visit the official web-site of the Russian Foreign Ministry - Yuri Fedotov stressed the US demand to dismiss Saddam Hussein did not meet Resolution 1441 and other UN Security Council resolutions on Iraq.

According to the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, "it is an internal affair of the Iraqi people and it is up to them to decide." Asked whether U.S. intentions to restructure and democratise the Arab world were warrantable, Yuri Fedotov pointed out that "peoples residing in the region must take decisions on their own."