Russia's foreign minister criticized a British-US plan to modify the sanctions regime on Iraq today and said Moscow may offer its own alternative.
"It is still too early to say what the final steps will be. Consultations are continuing. But nothing can be ruled out, including our (offering a) counter proposal", Mr Igor Ivanov told reporters in the State Duma lower house of parliament after discussing Iraq with a committee.
Mr Ivanov did not say what such a counter proposal might contain, leaving the final outcome of heated debate over the future of sanctions unresolved. But his strong words suggested Moscow is not ready to approve the so-called smart sanctions plan being pushed by Washington.
The United States, backed by Britain, is eagerly seeking to overhaul the decade-old UN Security Council sanctions regime, which has lost much international support and started to show cracks.
A British-drafted resolution would ease sanctions on civilian trade while continuing to ban military imports and restricting a list of dualuse goods.
It would also place tighter control on oil exports to neighboring countries, recommending UN control over trade of an estimated 1 billion per year that goes directly to Iraq rather than through the closely supervised UN oil-for-food program.
Mr Ivanov called the US-British plan one-sided, because it only envisions tightening the sanctions and...does not say anything about terms for lifting the sanctions.