Moscow: Ruling out the passage of a US-backed resolution seeking authorisation of war on Iraq, Russia has said it has "no chance" of being approved by the UN Security Council.

"We still believe the draft has no chance of being approved at the UN Security Council," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Yuri Fedotov said in the first official comments after the Azores summit.

"We don't think any additional resolutions are necessary," he was quoted as saying by Interfax on March 17.

Fedotov said, "Russia expects that all Security Council members will support the determination shared by the overwhelming majority of the international community to settle the Iraq crisis by political means."

After an emergency summit on March 16 in Azores (Portugal) with allies Britain, Spain and Portugal, US President Bush made it clear that diplomatic efforts would end tonight.

Fedotov said on March 16 that there was no justification for ending weapons inspections in Iraq.

PTI