Kremlin vows to stop war on Iraq
the Australian | 25.05.2002 08:48
Kremlin vows to stop war on Iraq
By Richard Beeston in Moscow
May 25, 2002
THE US and Russia last night signed a historic arms treaty, but even before President George W.Bush arrived in Moscow on a three-day visit the two sides were arguing openly over Iran and Iraq.
The Kremlin denied US charges it was permitting the transfer of nuclear technology to Tehran, and promised to do everything in its power to stop a new US-led war against Baghdad.
The message was delivered by Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov in two TV interviews. Mr Ivanov dismissed allegations made by the Bush administration that Russia was helping Iran to develop a nuclear weapons program. He said the construction of a nuclear power station by Russian technicians in southern Iran complied with international obligations and Moscow had no intention of scrapping the project.
Earlier, Mr Bush warned Russia's sales of missile and nuclear technology to Iran could endanger the world, including Moscow.
"If Iran gets a weapon of mass destruction ... that's going to be a problem for all of us, including Russia," Mr Bush said in Berlin before leaving for Moscow, where he arrived on Thursday on the second leg of a seven-day visit to Europe. Mr Bush said he intended to press that argument with Mr Putin.
Mr Ivanov said the Kremlin would try to stop the US using force to topple President Saddam Hussein, whose regime owes Russia billions of dollars in unpaid contract payments.
Despite the row, officials had no fears for the outcome of the meeting, where agreements were also signed on co-operation in the war against terror, energy, foreign policy and bilateral issues.
Certainly, Moscow offered Mr Bush a respite after thousands of anti-US demonstrators greeted him in Berlin and were in turn met by even larger numbers of riot police. The authorities in Moscow allowed fringe groups to hold a small rally outside the US embassy where about 400 mainly elderly diehard communists waved red flags and chanted anti-US slogans.
The arms control treaty cuts strategic nuclear weapons by a third to between 1700 and 2000 warheads each.
The agreement is being touted as a landmark by officials on both sides, but defence experts are more sceptical, saying the wording of the document is vague and the treaty reflects Moscow's decision to reduce stockpiles it can no longer afford to maintain while allowing the US to store thousands of warheads that could be brought back into service.
"The desire to create the image of a great breakthrough at the summit has pushed officials on both sides to publicise vague ideas that will create false expectations," Pavel Felgenhauer, a Russian military expert, said.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,4384055%255E401,00.html
By Richard Beeston in Moscow
May 25, 2002
THE US and Russia last night signed a historic arms treaty, but even before President George W.Bush arrived in Moscow on a three-day visit the two sides were arguing openly over Iran and Iraq.
The Kremlin denied US charges it was permitting the transfer of nuclear technology to Tehran, and promised to do everything in its power to stop a new US-led war against Baghdad.
The message was delivered by Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov in two TV interviews. Mr Ivanov dismissed allegations made by the Bush administration that Russia was helping Iran to develop a nuclear weapons program. He said the construction of a nuclear power station by Russian technicians in southern Iran complied with international obligations and Moscow had no intention of scrapping the project.
Earlier, Mr Bush warned Russia's sales of missile and nuclear technology to Iran could endanger the world, including Moscow.
"If Iran gets a weapon of mass destruction ... that's going to be a problem for all of us, including Russia," Mr Bush said in Berlin before leaving for Moscow, where he arrived on Thursday on the second leg of a seven-day visit to Europe. Mr Bush said he intended to press that argument with Mr Putin.
Mr Ivanov said the Kremlin would try to stop the US using force to topple President Saddam Hussein, whose regime owes Russia billions of dollars in unpaid contract payments.
Despite the row, officials had no fears for the outcome of the meeting, where agreements were also signed on co-operation in the war against terror, energy, foreign policy and bilateral issues.
Certainly, Moscow offered Mr Bush a respite after thousands of anti-US demonstrators greeted him in Berlin and were in turn met by even larger numbers of riot police. The authorities in Moscow allowed fringe groups to hold a small rally outside the US embassy where about 400 mainly elderly diehard communists waved red flags and chanted anti-US slogans.
The arms control treaty cuts strategic nuclear weapons by a third to between 1700 and 2000 warheads each.
The agreement is being touted as a landmark by officials on both sides, but defence experts are more sceptical, saying the wording of the document is vague and the treaty reflects Moscow's decision to reduce stockpiles it can no longer afford to maintain while allowing the US to store thousands of warheads that could be brought back into service.
"The desire to create the image of a great breakthrough at the summit has pushed officials on both sides to publicise vague ideas that will create false expectations," Pavel Felgenhauer, a Russian military expert, said.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,4384055%255E401,00.html
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