#10
Vedomosti
No. 33
February 27, 2003
[translation from RIA Novosti for personal use only]
RUSSIAN EXPERTS ON THE POSSIBILITY OF USING THE RIGHT OF VETO IN THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL
Vyacheslav NIKONOV, president of the Politika Foundation:

Within the next few weeks the UN Security Council may vote on a new resolution on Iraq, drafted by the USA, Britain and Spain. Russia may impose a veto. Is it worth doing so?

It is impossible to prevent the war - the decision on it has already been adopted. Apart from us, no one is going to impose a veto. If we dare to use a veto alone, we will lose all possibilities to influence the state of affairs in a post-Saddam Iraq, which it will become in a month or two.

Sergei SHISHKAREV, deputy chairman of the State Duma international affairs committee:

The USA's traditional NATO partners have not always been supporters of power solutions to conflicts, however, they have never publicized their objections. They managed to skillfully hide themselves behind Russia's open protest. It is worth paying due attention to an unprecedented protest of "old Europe" and China and use the obtaining situation in our own interests.

Boris MAKARENKO, deputy director general of the Center for Political Technologies:

Russia's right of veto may be seen as a realistic possibility only if we are sure that we will not be alone in using it. Otherwise, it is better to abstain - on condition that this does not kill the resolution. A veto may destroy the system of relations between Russia and the West built with such an effort.

Oleg BOGOMOLOV, honorary director of the Institute of International Economic and Political Studies:

This is a question of principle, not of Iraq. If we agree to a war, we will admit that international law gave way to the right of a strong power to punish the disobedient. We will hardly be alone in the issue of veto. China and perhaps France will back us.

Alexander DUGIN, president of the foundation Geopolitical Examination Center:

A veto is necessary. We should consistently persuade the Europeans, who themselves talked Putin into taking a peaceful stand recently, into adopting a peaceful solution and declare our loyalty to a multi-polar world order. The more consistent Moscow is the more it wins in the world of tomorrow.

Sergei KARAGANOV, deputy director of the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences:

We should by no means kick against the pricks or give others an opportunity to hide themselves behind our backs. Let some one else fight for a multi-polar world at last. In the question of veto, we should proceed from the principle of imposing respect for economic interests. The most important thing is not to repeat the Kosovo disgrace when we shouted "no" but then agreed and got nothing instead.

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