MOSCOW, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov Thursday warned Iraq to fully comply with demands made by U.N. weapons inspectors, while reiterating that Moscow would not support a new U.N. Security Council resolution authorizing use of force against Iraq.
"Baghdad must show full cooperation with international inspectors ... in strict compliance with resolution 1441," Ivanov told reporters.
To underline his message to the Iraqi leadership, Ivanov said: "I repeat that the success of the inspection activities will to a great extent depends on Baghdad."
He said Baghdad must provide "all necessary cooperation and show maximum openness."
In a separate statement, Ivanov expressed alarm over alleged pressure being applied on the inspectors.
"We have received information that strong pressure is being exerted on international inspectors to provoke them to discontinue their operations in Iraq, as happened in 1998, or to pressure them into producing an assessment that would become an excuse for the use of force," Ivanov told reporters after holding talks with Indian Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha.
Ivanov called on the inspectors to "objectively carry out their professional activities" and urged them to proceed quickly as "the faster we receive concrete results, the greater the chance of a political settlement of the situation."
In an interview with Italy's Corriere della Sera newspaper published Thursday, Ivanov indicated that Moscow remains opposed to any new resolution calling for use of force against Baghdad.
"We are not against a second resolution in principle, but we must see what purpose it serves," he said.
"If the resolution aims to reinforce the mandate of the inspectors, we will be ready to look at it, but if it is designed to allow the use of force, we believe it will be harmful," Ivanov told the paper.
Speaking to reporters, Ivanov said it was "not the time to speculate about (Russia's) use of the veto" at the U.N. Security Council as "no draft resolution is on the table." However, he said Russia reserved the right to exercise its veto power "if this meets the interests of stability and security in the world."
Ivanov stressed that Moscow wished to avoid use of its veto power, this "extreme measure."
"Russia's duty is not to split the Security Council, but to preserve its unity," Ivanov said.
Of the five permanent Security Council members with veto power, the United States and Britain support use of force against Iraq, while France, Russia and China are so far opposed to it.
Deputy Foreign Minister Yuri Fedotov also ruled out Moscow's support for any resolution that called for use of force.
"If a resolution that authorizes the use of force at this stage is presented (to the U.N. Security Council), then Russia cannot support such a resolution," Fedotov said, according to the official Itar-Tass news agency.
However, Fedotov used what one analyst stressed was a key phrase -- at this stage -- noting that any last-minute obstruction of inspectors' work by Baghdad could swiftly lead to a change in Moscow' opposition to use of stronger measures against Iraq.
Last week, Russia questioned the need for any new resolution on Iraq, insisting that Iraq is complying with resolution 1441 by opening up to inspection. However, in recent days Ivanov has said Moscow would be ready to consider a new resolution "if it is aimed at supporting the international inspectors and the implementation of resolution 1441."
