Moscow: Maintaining its opposition to unilateral US offensive against Baghdad, Russia on December 26 warned that a military strike against Iraq would shift the focus from War Against Terror in Afghanistan and escalate threats of further attacks by terrorists.

"Switching over the attention (of global anti-terror coalition) from Afghanistan to Iraq would lead to the rise of the threat of international terrorism emerging from the Afghan territory not controlled by Kabul," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Yuri Fedotov was quoted as saying by the Itar-Tass news agency.

"Forays of Taleban and al-Qaida followers are continuing, bin Laden is reported to be hiding in the territory not controlled by the Afghan government," he said.

Fedotov said, "so far no proof has been produced by anyone" of a terrorist threat from Baghdad and any military operation against Iraq would divert the attention of the world community, which would not be in a position to focus on Afghanistan.

He said that Afghanistan still poses a narco-threat to the world and the Kabul regime needs international backing in transformation of the Afghan economy based on production of narcotics.

He said, "The most important goal is to transform the Iraqi conflict into one that can be resolved through political and diplomatic means."

He also asked Baghadad to fully comply with weapons inspections and urged for lifting of sanctions against Iraq if Saddam Hussein regime allowed unfettered access to the UN team.

PTI