Russia ready to help restore Iraq, Igor Ivanov says

Russia boasts ample experience of work in Iraq, as well as the required resources, for facilitating Iraq's post-war reconstruction. This was stated here today by Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, as he addressed the tenth session of the ASEAN regional security forum. At the same time, Ivanov emphasized the fact that purposeful and serious efforts were needed in order to completely stabilize the Iraqi situation and to ensure the uninterrupted operation of emergent national institutions of state authority.

In Ivanov's words, Moscow perceives the latest UN Security Council's resolution on Iraq as a step toward restoring the UNSC consensus on this highly acute international problem with a view to launching painstaking work to restore the war-torn Iraq. Russia, which is ready to take an active part in such efforts, aspires for close-knit cooperation with new Iraqi authorities within the international community's framework, Ivanov stressed.

In Ivanov's opinion, it's important to continue exerting efforts for the sake of completely closing the Iraqi disarmament file. Moscow is still sure that this issue can only be settled completely with the help of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Group, as well as the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), Ivanov stressed in conclusion.