05 September 2003 17:22
Russia, China unanimous on U.S.-proposed Iraq resolution
Assessments by Russia and China of the U.S. draft for a new UN Security Council resolution on Iraq "coincide," the chief Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Friday.
The spokesman, Alexander Yakovenko, was commenting on Friday negotiations between the Russian and Chinese foreign ministers, Igor Ivanov and Li Zhaoxing, who hailed the draft proposal for a bigger UN role in stabilization efforts in Iraq . "A high assessment is being made in Moscow of the consultations between Ivanov and Li Zhaoxing," Yakovenko said.
The two ministers met in Tashkent, where they took part in a meeting of the Foreign Ministers Council of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, whose members are Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
In comments on the U.S. draft at a news conference after the meeting, Ivanov said: "This initiative itself deserves attention as the draft contains points that reflect movement toward principles for Iraqi settlement that Russia has been and is consistently defending. "Russia has always stood for the earliest possible restoration of Iraq's sovereignty and for the formation of legitimate bodies of authority in that country, which would be able to take charge of the country and address all the problems that Iraq is facing today, including security problems. But Russia has always stood for the UN playing the central, leading role in that process."
Li told the same news conference that the draft resolution "should be seen as the basis for discussion and consultations" and that China would take part in such talks.
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