United Nations, Sept 25: Russian President Vladimir Putin held back today from putting pressure on the United States over Iraq, in a speech to the United Nations apparently aimed at healing the rifts over the war. One of the war's sharpest critics, Putin steered clear of the attacks unleashed on Washington at the UN General Assembly this week and, unlike France and Germany, did not call for a faster handover of power to Iraqis. The moderate speech suggested Moscow was willing to put in the past the bitter split over the war as the United States pushes for a UN Security Council resolution that could get international troops to help keep the peace in Iraq. Putin echoed French and German concerns over "collective action" and chided the united states over going to war without UN backing, but did not insist on Washington ceding a greater political role in Iraq to the United Nations. "To be a world power means to be together with the world community. To be a really strong and influential state means also to be able to see and address the problems of small nations and economically weak countries," he said.

The tempered remarks will be a welcome change for US President George W Bush, who took a battering before the assembly at Tuesday's open session from French President Jacques Chirac. Putin and Bush are to hold a summit tomorrow.
b Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder are calling on the United States to set a rapid timetable for ending the occupation of Iraq and handing power over to Iraqis. The United States says a quick handover is unrealistic.


Bureau Report