Putin warns US of the folly of war

Russia: The Russian President, Mr Vladimir Putin, has warned the United States of the folly of war, while Russia's top diplomats said an attack on Baghdad would be illegal and lambasted Washington for undermining the United Nations and playing into the hands of international terrorists, writes Daniel McLaughlin, in Moscow

Mr Putin used a meeting yesterday with Muslim clerics from rebel Chechnya to break his recent silence on the weapons crisis in Iraq, reiterating the voluble opposition of Russia's Foreign Ministry to military action against Baghdad.

"We would like to resolve this through political and diplomatic means," Mr Putin said. "I am convinced that any other solution would be a mistake. This would not only cause human casualties but destabilise the international community in general."

Mr Putin noted that Russia's 20 million Muslims were deeply alarmed by the prospect of conflict in Iraq. "We cannot afford not to consider their opinion," he told the assembled clerics from Chechnya, where Moscow says it is fighting guerrillas funded by radical Islamic terror groups, including al-Qaeda.

Shortly after the US, Britain and Spain called time on diplomacy, Russia's Foreign Minister, Mr Igor Ivanov, said an attack against Baghdad would be illegal.

"We believe the use of force against Iraq, especially with reference to previous resolutions of the UN Security Council, has no grounds, including legal grounds," he told reporters.

Earlier yesterday, one of his colleagues launched a scathing attack on US policy towards Iraq. "If Washington decides to ignore the Security Council, contravene the UN Charter and attack Iraq, it would be a tragic mistake by the United States," the Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr Georgi Mamedov, said.

"Radical elements will try to exploit this situation, bringing suffering to all the members of the anti-terrorist coalition - including Russia - who are battling the direct threat of terrorism."

He insisted there was no justification for attacking Iraq - where Russia has major oil interests - or for toppling Saddam Hussein.

"If the aim is regime change in Iraq, then we do not agree with that. It would create a very dangerous precedent . . . and we do not believe American occupation of the Middle East will bring stability to the region." However while sharply criticising Washington, Mr Mamedov said Russia looked forward to getting its vital relationship with the United States back on track.

"We will not gloat over a tragic US mistake," he said. "Our relations are too important for world peace to let them be hostage to a disagreement over the Iraq problem."