Moscow: Russia wants the UN inspectors to pronounce Iraq free of weapons of mass
destruction (WMD) before economic sanctions against it are lifted, a senior Moscow
diplomat told ITAR-TASS on April 21.
The unnamed official said UN weapons and nuclear arms inspectors must "return to
Iraq and confirm that it has no weapons", ITAR-TASS said.
Sanctions could be lifted shortly after that, the source said.
The UN Security Council, where Russia wields veto power, must approve the removal of
Iraqi sanctions, including those concerning its oil exports.
The Russian official said United States "wants the sanctions to be lifted
immediately ... but this stance contradicts international rights".
US President George W Bush said last week he would soon propose a UN resolution
ending the economic sanctions, which put an embargo on the trade of Iraqi
oil.
Russia has been a fierce opponent of the US-British invasion of Iraq and cast doubt
on the accusations that Baghdad was developing biological, chemical and nuclear
weapons.
Moscow, which wants the United Nations to oversee the rebuilding of Iraq, fears that
lucrative reconstruction and oil contracts in Iraq could be allocated almost
exclusively to the US-led coalition.
