Russia May Use Veto Power to Stop War ["will not abstain"]

Reuters ^ | March 4, 2003 | Peter Graff

[AntiGuv]

LONDON (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said on Tuesday that Moscow would not support any measure leading to a war on Iraq and might be prepared to use its veto in the U.N. Security Council.

"Russia has this right and if the situation so demands, Russia will of course use its right of veto -- as an extreme measure -- to avoid the worst development of the situation," Ivanov said, according to a translated version of a BBC World Service interview in London.

"Russia would not support any decision that would directly or indirectly lead to a war with Iraq," he added.

Ivanov said Moscow, which like China, France and Germany opposes the hawkish stance by Washington and London against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, would not abstain in any future U.N. Security Council vote on Iraq.

"To abstain is a position that could not take place. Russia is not indifferent to the future of Iraq," he said. "Russia will not abstain. It will take a particular position."

Ivanov insisted that unanimity in the Security Council, rather than talk of veto-wielding, was the best way to pressure Saddam into disarming.

"Only unanimity will provide success in the solution of the Iraqi problem," he said. "In the past Iraq used the differences in the Security Council and has managed to avoid solutions."

Ivanov called for concrete time-limits to be set by U.N. inspectors -- led by chief weapons inspector Hans Blix and the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog Mohamed ElBaradei -- to complete their work. "We insist that Blix and ElBaradei on March 7 give a clear plan for work ... and say how long it will take them," he said. "All we have asked Iraq to do so far, Iraq has carried out. Therefore, the inspectors should set out a concrete plan for their activity."

Ivanov said it would be a "serious mistake with serious consequences" if the United States went to war against Iraq without a second resolution, but declined to say what action if any Russia would take in response.

[AntiGuv]

Russia appears to be hardening its opposition to the proposed US-UK resolution on Iraq.

[dead]

There holding out a bigger hat.

[klute]

This headline made me chuckle when I saw it on the Washington Post site. They can veto all they want, but they're not stopping squat.

[Keith]

Time to make it all academic and go in.

[mrb1960]

Who gives a rats ass what they will do. The UN is irrelevant at this point.

[AntiGuv]

Yep, that crossed my mind also.. ;)

[mhking]

Russia may use their veto power, but they ain't about to stop this freight train...

"The word is no. Therefore, I am going anyway..."

[smith288]

How does a paper marked "VETO" stop 300,000+ of the best trained soldiers in the world from disarming Saddam?

[Scott from the Left Coast]

They won't be "stopping" the war. They'll just be choosing sides. The boost U.S. force in the region was boosted last night to 350,000, among the additions are the world's heaviest armored division (1st Armored) and a full cavalry division, both of which were given deployment orders last night. As a "follow-on" force! ROFL.

That will keep all the pipsqueaks squeaking comfortably within their own borders.

[gulfcoast6]

OK 'Pootin', veto it.

[Spyder]

O'Reilly had a report last night that showed which truly had interests in Iraq and in Saddam staying in power. The results were hugely Russia. Iraq owes them billions, and to pay that back, they've been selling them oil below market price. Russia then cranks up the cost and makes money hand over fist. They also apparently have interests/options on drilling further.

France is number two but doesn't have nearly as much invested as Russia. Still highly significant, however.

[clintonh8r]

Let 'em. They're helping castrate the UN, which is America's and the world's best interests.

[Cap Huff]

"We insist that Blix and ElBaradei on March 7 give a clear plan for work ... and say how long it will take them . . ."

From what I've seen reported Blix and El B. have not said anything like a plan or timetable. It has always been portrayed as a sort of open-ended 'we'll be finished when we're finished' program. They better burn the midnight oil and cobble together some kind of plan and schedule to give this statement some cover.

[guitfiddlist]

The next time any of these parasite bastards asks for a handout or any kind of assistance from the US, we should tell them we can't act unilaterally, and that we need to submit the request to the UN.

We should also explain to to all UN debaters that any US assistance allocated to any particular parasite will be deducted from the pool of resources available to the other parasites. Then we can break out the popcorn and watch the slimy little piranhas go after each other. :^)

[goldstategop]

The Russians want to make the UN irrelevant? It would make my day :)

[Grampa Dave]

Reuters is not able to print the truth when it comes to Islamofacist/kazi terrorism and the thugs in control of Iraq.

Reuters is controlled by an rich Opecker Prince who will not allow the words terrorism or terrorist to be used in any article where the Islamofacists/kazis are responsible.

The pure bull $ that Reuters has printed since New Years to save their Uncle Soddomite's rear end is massive and like a continuing wet dream by Reuters with little if any basis on reality! This wet dream posing as a news article is a prime example of the BS Reuters puts out posing as news.

This meter should be run with the posting of any Reuters article. Reuters makes the Ny Slimes look all most honest.

Believe nothing that Reuters has to say about the Islamofacists leaders, our allies and our administration. Reuters creates more Bravo Sierra in a day than 1,000,000 cattle do.

Meanwhile, Reuters is taking a beating in the business world. This past week, Reuters reported a loss of $631 million, the largest in its 150-year history. In addition, Reuters announced 3,000 job cuts, along with the 3,200 jobs cut over the past two years. Reuters' market capitalization has plunged by almost 90 percent from its peak, and Reuters' stock has fallen to a 14-year low. (Reuters posts record loss, to cut jobs News provider to cut 3,000 workers as part of turnaround plan , Link to how the Reuters lies and BS hits Reuters's bottom line)

Apparently Reuters' dwindling credibility as a media provider is now affecting their bottom line. May Reuters go broke and slide into the Irrelevant Cesspool!

[Odyssey-x]

I think the most compelling argument for war is that Russia is against it. They are not concerned about who's going to die, they have been indiscrimantly slaughtering the Chechens for years. They want to break up Nato and have Europe with Russia at the head of it and a world filled with Anti-Americanism.

If they think this is going to damage their interests I'm all for the war.

[OK]

His statements are inconsistent. He wants the UN to disarm Iraq without the threat of force. That won't happen.

His position is a win/win for the US. If they veto, then the UN is toast. Yippee. If they vote for, then it strengthens the US position.

[RCW2001]

Here is the itar-tass version discussing asylum...

Russia to refrain from supporting use of force in Iraq

04.03.2003

LONDON, March 4 (Itar-Tass) - Russia will refrain from supporting any decisions that may envision, directly or tentatively, a use of force against Iraq, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov told a news conference at the BBC headquarters Tuesday.

"We may use our veto power on the UN Security Council if need be," he said.

"Russia is working to achieve unity at the Council, and this is only way to attain a solution to the Iraqi problem," he said.

"Iraq made instrumental the lack of unity at the UN to escape from responding to the tasks set before it in previous years," Ivanov said. "Now we are trying to convince our partners that the inspections must continue and the issue should be settled through political and diplomatic means".

He also told, that Russia "did not, does not and will not offer asylum to Saddam Hussein or the chief of another state". "An offer of asylum is interference in internal affairs," Ivanov stressed. "I will work 20 hours a day in order to prevent military operations and to attain peace settlement. It is not economic, but political interests in Iraq, to be exact, the regional peace, that make Russia to campaign for diplomatic settlement," he noted.

[Mark Felton]

The US is about to "acquire" all future options on Iraqi oil contracts.