STOCKHOLM. May 6 (Interfax-Europe) - The decision to lift sanctions from Iraq can be made only after independent experts draw a conclusion on whether it has weapons of mass destruction or not, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov has said.
"Russia is not against lifting sanctions from Iraq. We have called for lifting the sanctions for 10 years, and we perfectly understand that this can be done only if it is 100 percent clear whether Iraq has weapons of mass destruction," Ivanov told the press in Stockholm on Tuesday.
"To stop the agony and convulsions in Iraq, the sanctions must be lifted as soon as possible, but this can be done only if independent experts confirm there are no weapons of mass destruction there," he said.
The post-conflict settlement in Iraq will be addressed by the UN sooner or later, Ivanov said.
"There is no sense in talking about stabilization in Iraq, because it is in fact seeing anarchy at the moment. It would be good to know when this anarchy will end. There are disagreements and sometimes diametrically opposite approaches to the strategy and even tactics of a post-conflict settlement in Iraq," Ivanov said. "However, I really believe this issue will be sooner or later addressed at the UN," he said.
Asked whether the anti-Iraqi coalition has achieved the goals of its military operation, Ivanov replied, "If we talk about overthrowing Saddam Hussein's regime, the goal is achieved. But where is Hussein - that is the question. I believe he will sooner or later pop up in some part of the world."