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Putin calls for diplomatic efforts to resolve Iraq dispute

MOSCOW, Jan 30 /Prime-TASS/ -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that international political and diplomatic efforts to resolve the situation surrounding Iraq should become more strenuous.

He was speaking while presenting credentials to the ambassadors of several countries.

He added that "the events of the last weeks have given us reason to worry. The tension around Iraq is not diminishing, nor is the situation in the Middle East becoming less complicated. The prospects for regulating North Korea's nuclear weapons program are not clear."

These problems "should stimulate international efforts to find political and diplomatic solutions to the world's problems," he noted

Putin said that "the formation of a just and democratic world order, based on accepted principles and international law as detailed in the UN Charter, depends on our success in solving the world's current problems."

On Tuesday, Putin said that diplomatic measures to regulate the situation in Iraq were "not yet exhausted."

He added that "all problems relating to Iraq should be decided by the UN according to international law."

Putin noted that "if Iraq causes problems for the inspectors, then Russia may change its position and agree with the U.S. that harsher actions should be developed by the UN."

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