SEOUL. April 10 (Interfax-AVN) - Russia is not trying to influence the Iraqi situation by sending its warships to the Indian Ocean, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov told the Russian press in Seoul on Thursday.
"If we had wished to send our ships to Iraq, we would have done so three months ago - in January," the minister said.
"America was informed about the future voyage of our ships a very long time ago," Ivanov said. "It should be noted that it will take the ships about one month to reach the exercise area, and everything will be over in Iraq by then."
"Besides, we have chosen a large area in the Indian Ocean, where our exercises will not hamper the activities of U.S. aircraft carriers," he said.
"The Russian warships will hold exercises in the eastern part of the Arabian Sea between Pakistan and India in May," Ivanov said. "The choice of the Indian Ocean for holding the exercises is not accidental. That is where the most serious problems exist."
"However, the Russian military fleet will not be present in the Indian Ocean permanently. That is unrealistic," Ivanov said.
He noted that the Admiral Kuznetsov heavy aircraft carrying cruiser of the Northern Fleet will voyage to the Mediterranean Sea in 2004.