RUSSIA: Russia and the United States, who were at loggerheads over war in the Gulf, look set to clash again over Washington's post-war plans for Iraq, after a US official failed to win Moscow's support yesterday for the immediate lifting of United Nations sanctions against Baghdad.
Moscow said it supported a suspension of trade restrictions on essentials like food and medicine, but opposed a complete end to sanctions until UN arms inspectors had declared Iraq to be free of weapons of mass destruction.
"Sanctions which block or hamper the resolution of humanitarian problems in Iraq should be suspended or lifted," Russian Foreign Minister MR Igor Ivanov said before meeting US Assistant Secretary of State Mr Kim Holmes.
"But only the UN Security Council has the power to change or end sanctions," he said.
"The procedure for lifting the sanctions must be based on resolutions previously adopted by the UN."
Washington insists sanctions should be lifted now to help Iraq earn money to rebuild its war-shattered infrastructure.
Russia, along with France, fears such a move would give US firms a foothold in Iraq's potentially huge oil industry, which companies from both nations want to help develop.
Mr Holmes struck a conciliatory note, saying that he was "very pleased" with his talks with Mr Ivanov.
"I think there's an understanding that something needs to be done quickly to lift the sanctions burden on the Iraqi people," Mr Holmes said. "And also to define what the United Nations' role needs to be in Iraq."
Russia and France argue that it should be the UN, rather than Washington, which should take the lead in rebuilding Iraq.