Think twice over Iraq veto, US tells Russia

11.45am

MOSCOW - The US envoy to Russia has warned Moscow to think twice about the consequences of using its UN veto to block military action against Iraq.

And in a further sign of deteriorating US-Russia relations over the Iraq crisis, a top Russian official said Washington's bellicose stance could freeze a key nuclear arms pact.

But Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Mamedov also said Russia hoped to avoid using its veto, adding it would co-operate with Washington to try to stabilise the situation if war broke out.

Despite its new warm ties with Washington since the September 11 attacks, Russia has threatened to block any new UN Security Council resolution that would open the way for a US-led war against Iraq.

"It makes a big difference whether Russia decides to use its veto or abstain," US ambassador Alexander Vershbow was quoted as saying in Russia's widely read Izvestia daily on Wednesday. "Russia should carefully weigh all the consequences."

The United States has not openly threatened to withdraw economic support for Russia, but US congressional aides say a White House-backed proposal to lift Soviet-era trade restrictions could be imperilled if Moscow vetoes the UN resolution on Iraq.

The restrictions, called the Jackson-Vanik provisions, limits trade ties with Russia. Lifting the 1974 amendment would allow Russia and the United States to establish permanent normal trade relations -- a considerable boost for Moscow.

"Those that are looking at this issue and those who support this are having second thoughts because of Russia's opposition," a US House of Representatives aide said.

Russia, which like France favours giving UN arms inspectors more time to search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, has veto rights as a permanent Security Council member.

Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov has said Moscow would use that veto to block a draft resolution by the United States, Britain and Spain setting a March 17 deadline for Iraq to disarm.

A Kremlin spokeswoman said US President George W Bush discussed the Iraq crisis with Russian President Vladimir Putin by telephone on Wednesday.

Western commentators say Russia is keenly aware its action over Iraq will be seen as a major test of the new relationship forged between Moscow and Washington.

In a move to persuade Moscow not to use its veto, the US Senate last week ratified the Moscow Treaty -- a bilateral accord that would slash each country's deployed nuclear weapons.

But Russia's deputy foreign minister, Mamedov, in Tokyo for meetings with Japanese officials, suggested Russia's State Duma (lower house) might not respond likewise if Washington kept up its hawkish stance on Iraq.

"The actions of the United States around the situation in Iraq could have an impact on the position of Russian lawmakers," he told Itar-Tass news agency. "Russian lawmakers have expressed severe criticism of Washington's Iraq policies."

Mamedov later reiterated Russia's view that it saw no need for a new Security Council resolution.

"Russia is hoping to avoid the use of its veto. It would mean the collapse of diplomatic efforts and leave only military actions," Kyodo news agency quoted him as saying.

But he added that if it did come to war, Russia would work with the United States for an early settlement.

"We will strive to minimise negative effects and bring the situation back to political and diplomatic arenas," he said.

- REUTERS