Iraq sovereignty restoration schedule to be submitted to UN Security Council

Deadline for presentation of Iraq sovereignty restoration schedule to the UN Security Council is December 15, 2003, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said following the talks with the three EU leaders in Moscow on Tuesday.

"Russia and the European Union are interested in the political settlement in Iraq and are ready for further cooperation to achieve this goal," Ivanov stressed.

According to the Russian foreign minister, Russia is interested in the practical implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1511 on Iraq.

Russian, Italian and Irish foreign ministers Igor Ivanov, Franco Frattini and Brian Cowen, member of the European Commission Gunter Verheugen and EU High Commissioner for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana discussed vital international issues including the situations in the Middle East, Iran, Iraq and North Korea.

"Russia and EU have common positions on most vital international problems," Igor Ivanov stressed.