Moscow: With the countdown for a US-led attack virtually on, Russian President
Vladimir Putin on March 17 cautioned that the war on Iraq would be "a mistake" with
gravest consequence as Moscow asked its nationals to immediately leave Iraq.
"We stand for resolving the problem exclusively through peaceful means. Any other
option would be a mistake.
It would be fraught with the gravest consequences, it will
result in casualties and destabilise the international situation in general," Putin
said in his first public remarks since yesterday's US-British-Spanish summit at US
base in Azores.
Moscow still believes that a possible war in Iraq would be a mistake, Putin said at
Kremlin meeting with Muslim clergymen from Chechnya on March 17.
"Russia's stand is clear, comprehensible and unwavering," Putin was quoted as saying
by state-run "Rossia" TV channel.
He said that he is aware of recent prayers for averting of war in all the Russian
mosques and fully shared this concern.
Meanwhile, US Ambassador in Moscow Alexander Vershbow has said that Russia would be
given advance information about the US strikes.
"I think we would be in constant touch with Russia and would caution in advance in
case of military action," Vershbow was quoted as saying by Interfax.
PTI
