#2 - JRL 7171
Lifting of Iraq sanctions possible after WMD issue closed

MOSCOW. May 7 (Interfax) - International sanctions against Iraq can be lifted only in compliance with UN Security Council resolutions, Deputy Foreign Minister Yury Fedotov told Interfax on Wednesday.

"Russia wants the burden of the sanctions to be eased as soon as possible, which should be done in line with existing UN Security Council resolutions," Fedotov said.

The deputy foreign minister recalled that "among other issues, these resolutions call to clarify Iraq's disarmament dossier."

"So far, this issue is unclear. The UNMOVIC (the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspections Commission) and the IAEA (the International Atomic Energy Agency) have to present reports intended to shed more light on these issues," he stressed.

Fedotov underscored the need to provide evidence that "Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction or the capabilities to produce them."

"This has been the UN Security Council's demand from the very beginning, dating back to 1991 when Resolution 687 was adopted. This is the main provision that provided a framework for all other resolutions. We should not abandon it," the deputy foreign minister said.