Russia, India, China advocate more prominent role for UN in Iraq

The foreign ministers of Russia, India and China have spoken out in favour of a more prominent role for the United Nations in the Iraqi settlement. The ministers gathered in New York on Wednesday, Russia's foreign ministry said today.

The foreign ministers deemed it necessary to enhance the UN's role in Iraq's post-war reconstruction, to work out a plan of specific actions to restore the country's sovereignty and pass the rule over to an internationally recognised government that would ensure Iraqis' interests, according to the ministry.

The conferees expressed concern about the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, which are sa major threat to global security, and the possibility that the weapons may be used by terrorists. The ministers emphasised that measures against the spread of WMD should be all-round and conform to international law.

India and China reaffirmed their support for Russia's initiative to create a global system of countering new challenges and threats, said the foreign ministry.

Moreover, the ministers backed the UN Secretary General's initiative to set up a "blue ribbon" committee that would work out measures to update the UN so that it would meet the realia of the present day. However, the reform of the UN must not undermine the norms and principles stipulated in this international organisation's Charter, emphasised the conferees.