Russia raises WMD issue

2004-06-04 07:28

New York - Russia raised a piece of unfinished business in the Security Council debate on a UN resolution backing the restoration of sovereignty to Iraqis - what about the search for weapons of mass destruction?

Russia's deputy UN ambassador, Alexander Konuzin, said the US-British resolution on Iraq should specify who will be responsible for searching for alleged weapons stores and for maintaining any uncovered by UN monitors before the war.

"What is the situation since no WMDs have been located up to now?" Konuzin asked Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari in an open Security Council debate on Thursday.

"It is our opinion the resolution being prepared by the Security Council on Iraq must give a clear answer to the question - who will bear the responsibility for looking for traces of weapons of mass destruction," said Konuzin, whose country opposed the war.

Zebari, who was appearing before the Security Council two days after the new interim Iraqi government was named in Baghdad, said it was too early to broach that question.

Issue outstanding

"We understand that this issue is still really outstanding and leftover from previous resolutions and we have discussed that among ourselves and the new administration but it's too soon really to address it at this stage," he said.

American forces have not found the stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction that US President George W Bush cited as a primary justification for the March 2003 invasion.

UN inspectors were pulled out of Iraq just before the war. After the war, the United States deployed its own search teams and refused to allow UN inspectors to return.

The Security Council has said it will discuss the mandate of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission, which is responsible for chemical and biological inspections in Iraq, at a future date. But American officials have said the United States doesn't want to take up the issue until the US hunt is completed.

Zebari was peppered by questions from Security Council members eager to get Iraqi input before approving any resolution as the US hands over power but maintains more than 150 000 foreign troops in the country.

Konuzin also stressed the need for the interim government to be "recognised as the major political force in the country by the people of Iraq" and suggested that the new prime minister and other government members come to New York to meet with the diplomats.

"As an option, we could even hold a meeting in the region which would give an opportunity to Iraq's neighbours to participate actively in the dialogue with the Iraqi leadership," he said.

The draft resolution maintains the UN arms embargo on Iraq except for the multinational force and Iraqi security forces that will be carrying out provisions of the resolution. But it doesn't address the question of the weapons hunt.

- AP