Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Yury Fedotov in Moscow Tuesday expressed his country's readiness for constructive discussions on the UN Security Council's new draft resolution on Iraq.

The UN Security Council's "ongoing consultations on the possible contents of a future draft resolution are proceeding normally. Russia, for its part, is ready to make its contribution to these discussions," Fedotov was quoted by Interfax as saying.

His comments came after the United Nations said that Washington was to present a new draft resolution on Iraq this week to the Security Council for vote.

"This future resolution will be solely aimed at outlining the UN's role in Iraq. It will most likely be a short technical document that will approve the recommendations voiced by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan some time ago calling for a wide-ranging UN mission in Iraq," Fedotov noted.

Russia, one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, strongly opposed the US-led war against Iraq. It has called for a greater UN role in postwar Iraq.
 
(Xinhua News Agency August 12, 2003)