MOSCOW, July 9 (Xinhuanet) -- Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman
Alexander Yakovenko on Tuesday reiterated Russia's opposition to any
military operation against Iraq.
"It is our firm belief that the groundless use of force againstIraq
would have disastrous consequences for the entire Middle Eastregion,"
Yakovenko said in a statement.
He made the comments a day after U.S. President George W. Bush
vowed to "use all the tools at our disposal" to bring down Iraqi President
Saddam Hussein, renewing speculation that the US is preparing for an armed
attack.
But the spokesman said on the same time that Russia had no specific
information on reported U.S. plans to oust Hussein.
"We do not get any concrete information on any secret plans of the
U.S. leadership to remove Iraqi President Hussein from power, and we are
not holding any negotiations on that subject," he said.
In response to an U.S. State Department gathering scheduled Tuesday
of groups seeking to overthrow Saddam, Yakovenko said Moscow did not
maintain contacts with Iraqi opposition groups and believed that
negotiations with the current leadership are the only way to solve the
crisis there.
"We believe that there must be a dialogue with Iraq's lawful
leadership, which officially represents that country," he said.
Russia has urged a return of international weapons inspectors to
Iraq, but also supported Baghdad's push for lifting U.N. economic
sanctions, which were imposed after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990. Enditem
