RUSSIA: Russia abruptly abandoned its opposition to any change in the sanctions regime against Iraq yesterday, backing a call from anti-war ally France to partially suspend the 13-year-old trade restrictions on Baghdad, writes Daniel McLaughlin in Moscow.
Russian Foreign Minister Mr Igor Ivanov said Moscow wanted to see some trade with Iraq restored to avert a humanitarian disaster in the war-shattered country, and dismissed the threat of a Russian veto at the United Nations to block such a move.
"The UN Security Council is considering the possibility of temporarily suspending the sanctions on goods that may be used for humanitarian problems in Iraq. The matter implies the partial temporary lifting of sanctions," Mr Ivanov said. "An overwhelming majority of countries share this approach, and therefore it is necessary now to make appropriate decisions."
After fiercely opposing military action in the Gulf, Paris and Moscow had looked set for another clash with Washington over sanctions that the US wants lifted immediately. But France's unexpected support this week for the suspension of sanctions left Russia in danger of international isolation.
Mr Ivanov's about-turn yesterday came after a telephone conversation with French Foreign Minister Mr Dominique De Villepin. The Kremlin opposes Washington's plan to scrap the oil-for-food programme that has netted billions of dollars for Russian firms in the last decade.
