Moscow's and London's Stances Towards Iraqi War Still Completely Different - 25 March, 2003

Moscow's and London's stances towards the Iraqi war are still completely different, the information and press department of the Russian Foreign Ministry said. It was announced at a meeting between Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Russian political director in the G-8 Georgi Mamedov and British Ambassador to Moscow Roderick Lyne.

Mr. Mamedov received the British Ambassador at his request. The conflict in the Persian Gulf was a number-one issue on the agenda of the meeting. Other issues concerning the acute international situation were touched upon as well.

The Russian party stressed that "the continuation of the war in Iraq leads to new human losses and further destabilisation of the situation in the world. It undermines the authority of the UN and the UN Security Council, affects the cooperation in the anti-terrorist coalition." The Russian Deputy Foreign Minister recalled that Russia and Great Britain had positive experience in settling large-scale armed conflicts on the basis of international law under the auspices of the UN Security Council.

In particular, with due account taken of the settlement of the conflict in Yugoslavia in 1999 a number of tools in the framework of the Great Eight were discussed.

"It is very important now, when nFrance-led preparation for a G-8 summit scheduled for June 1st-2nd in Evian is underway. The summit will take place right after a meeting of the world's leading powers in St. Petersburg," the Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out.