A US draft resolution on Iraq calling for the automatic use of force is "unacceptable" to Moscow, a top Russian foreign ministry official said today.
The first UN Security Council debate on the crisis is being held over the next two days.
"The US draft resolution on Iraq has not undergone any changes. It remains unacceptable, and Russia will not support it," Deputy Foreign Minister Yury Fedotov said.
He said Russia's position remained close to that of France, which is lobbying for two resolutions: one that would give a deadline for compliance with inspections, then, if that was ignored, another that would spell out the consequences for Baghdad. "Russia supports many of the points" made in the French approach, he said.
He stressed that Russia still did not see the need for new resolutions on Iraq and was instead pressing for a quick return of UN inspectors who would check whether or not Baghdad was developing weapons of mass destruction. "From the logistical and technical point of view, there is nothing that stands in the way of resuming inspections in Iraq."
His comments came a day after chief UN inspector Mr Hans Blix announced that his team would be ready to start work in Iraq within 10 days of the Security Council adopting a new resolution.
But he stressed that he could not lead inspectors into Iraq before a tough new resolution is adopted.
AFP