Moscow: Rejecting US President George W Bush's 48-hour deadline for Saddam Hussein to quit or face war, Russia on March 18 called for a session of the Security Council to bring UN back to the forefront of efforts to settle the Iraq crisis and postponed ratification of a major disarmament treaty with the US.

"Moscow believes there are no grounds for saying that a political-diplomatic solution to the situation in Iraq has no chances, that the 'time for diplomacy is over'," spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said in a statement.

Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, who was to travel to New York to attend a UN Security Council meeting to discuss the situation, said, "Regrettably, the integrity of the international anti-terror coalition is now in danger because of the looming threat of war against Iraq."

Russia, backed by fellow Security Council permanent members France and China, expressed firm opposition to the use of force to impose Iraq's disarmament.

President Vladimir Putin on march 18 had a telephonic conversation with new Chinese President Hu Jintao during which they reiterated the desire for "continuing diplomatic efforts" to disarm Saddam Hussein, Kremlin Press office said.

Putin on March 17 spoke to French President Jacques Chirac on phone and emphasised the importance of making further "political and diplomatic efforts in the UN to overcome the Iraq crisis".

In an unexpected development, Russian Parliament on March 18 postponed the ratification of the US-Russian nuclear arms reduction treaty "till better times".

PTI