RUSSIA: Russia's Foreign Minister rejected Washington's intelligence dossier on Iraq's alleged arms programme and links with al-Qaeda yesterday, as he prepared to back Moscow's bid for a peaceful resolution to the weapons crisis at a key United Nations meeting tomorrow.
"Russian experts analysed the data presented on February 5th by Colin Powell on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction," Mr Igor Ivanov told France's Le Figaro newspaper.
"Their opinion is that the data is not convincing and that more information must be obtained."
Mr Ivanov was accompanying Russian President, Mr Vladimir Putin, on a trip to France and Germany that has unified the three nations' opposition to Washington's threat to attack Iraq over its alleged bid to develop weapons of mass destruction and ties to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda terror network.
The Foreign Ministry said later that Mr Ivanov had told Mr Powell by telephone that Russia sought "a peaceful solution - in co-operation with the United States and other countries - to the Iraqi problem, based on the continued and more effective work of international inspectors in Iraq."
The ministry also said that Mr Ivanov would attend tomorrow's crucial session of the UN Security Council.
It is expected that the French Foreign Minister, Mr Dominique de Villepin, will also attend the meeting, as may the US Secretary of State. Britain said that Foreign Secretary, Mr Jack Straw, may also attend.
Mr Ivanov told Le Figaro that he wanted to hear the inspectors' progress report and find out what Dr Blix and Dr ElBaradei needed to effectively conduct their work.
"If they say they cannot carry out [their mission], then we will think about the manner in which to deal with the problem," Mr Ivanov told the French newspaper.
Late on Tuesday night, Mr Putin warned the US not to act alone over Iraq, and suggested that Moscow and Paris might use their Security Council vetoes to block any proposed resolution threatening war against Baghdad.
"I am convinced that it would be a grave error to be drawn into unilateral action, outside international law," Mr Putin told French television.
"If today a proposition was made that we felt would lead to unreasonable use of force, we would act with France or alone.
"European countries are defending not only their point of view on the situation in Iraq, but also their right to have their own point of view," Mr Putin said, while defending Russia's joint declaration with France and Germany this week that backed a greatly intensified inspections regime in preference to force.
"The declaration is not designed to create a bloc or an axis directed against anyone," Mr Putin said.
"We are trying to find a peaceful solution to a grave international crisis and, I repeat, we will be heard."