Russia-Iraq talks on arms inspections fail

By Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW, NOV. 30. Russia has failed to persuade Iraq to allow U.N. weapon inspectors back into the country in what is seen as a setback for an early lifting of U.N. sanctions against Baghdad.

The Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Tariq Aziz, left Moscow on Thursday after a day of intensive talks, ruling out the dispatch of a new U.N. monitoring mission to his country.

Meanwhile, the Interfax news agency quoted Russian Foreign Ministry sources as reiterating Moscow's position in favour of ``a resumption of international monitoring over Baghdad's prohibited military programmes in linkage with clear- cut timetable for lifting the blockade and sanctions against Iraq.''

Mr. Aziz's emphatic ``no'' to reporters' questions if Baghdad would accept a U.N. inspection gave the lie to his description of his talks in Moscow as ``very good''. ``There is a good understanding between the leaders of the two countries and we are discussing the problems associated with the spirit of friendship and mutual understanding,'' he said.

However, Russian news agencies quoted unnamed diplomats as saying Mr. Aziz's talks with the Russian Foreign Minister, Mr. Igor Ivanov, had been ``difficult'' and the two sides had differed over disarmament issues. An announced joint news conference on Wednesday was cancelled ``for lack of time'' and was not rescheduled for Thursday, even though the Iraqi leader stayed overnight in Moscow.

Mr. Aziz also refuted Russian officials' reports of Baghdad's acceptance of the U.N. Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan's proposal to open talks early next year on ending the stalemate over weapons inspections. He said Baghdad was still studying Mr. Annan's proposal, and said his Government would have to decide when it would be ``convenient'' to take part in such talks.

Russia has been pressing Baghdad to accept the U.N. inspection as an essential condition for successful lobbying for the lifting of the U.N. sanctions on Iraq. Unless the sanctions are withdrawn early, Russian oil majors may lose their strong positions on the Iraqi market. Baghdad made it clear that Russian companies may lose their stakes in the development of Iraqi oil fields if they did not start large-scale oil production immediately.

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Section  : International
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