Moscow, July 08: Russia underscored its opposition today to armed intervention in Iraq, praising recent talks between UN and Iraqi officials as making progress despite the lack of an agreement on a return of arms inspectors.
"The Iraqi problem can be resolved only through a political and diplomatic process in compliance with resolutions of the UN Security Council," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
"Any other options, particularly the use of force, are absolutely unacceptable", it said.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan failed at a meeting last week in Vienna, Austria, to get Iraqi foreign minister Naji Sabri to agree to the return of arms inspectors, who have been barred from Iraq for 3 1/2 years.
The Russian Foreign Ministry, however, noted that the sides had agreed to future meetings. It expressed optimism, citing a smaller agreement that was reached on how to return Kuwait's national archives, which were looted after Iraq's 1990 invasion of its tiny, oil-rich neighbor.


Russia has supported Iraq's push for lifting UN economic sanctions, which were imposed after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, in hopes that Baghdad could start paying off its dlrs 7 billion soviet-era debt and expand trade. The UN sanctions can be lifted only after international inspectors certify that Iraq has eliminated its weapons of mass destruction.
Russian oil companies are actively participating in the reconstruction of Iraq's oil infrastructure and stand to reap significant benefits if UN sanctions are completely lifted.

Bureau Report