Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov urged the United States today to make changes in a draft Iraq resolution headed for the UN Security Council but appeared to rule out any Russian veto.
The US has called a vote for today on a resolution aimed at getting UN approval of its occupation and reconstruction of Iraq, after rejecting proposals by key countries including Russia to add a timetable for self-rule.
"Russia, France and Germany have presented their proposed amendments. We hope the authors of the new draft resolution will also include these proposed amendments," Mr Ivanov told a news conference.
Asked if Moscow would veto the resolution if changes were not made, he said, "I do not believe that this is now a matter of a veto by any side."
None of the Iraq resolution's critics on the Security Council, including Russia, had been expected to veto the resolution.
Mr Ivanov was speaking in Vienna after meeting Austrian Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner.
Yesterday, France, Russia and Germany, which opposed the war in Iraq, submitted six amendments. But they dropped previous crucial demands that the United Nations play a central role in Iraq's reconstruction and that a provisional Iraqi government take office within five months.