The Hindu : Ivanov cancels U.S. visit

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 09, 2003

International

International

Ivanov cancels U.S. visit

By Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW APRIL 8. The Russian Defence Minister, Sergei Ivanov, cancelled a planned visit to the United States, even as the two countries sought to overcome a deep rift over the war in Iraq.

The Russian Defence chief begins a tour of South Korea and Japan on Wednesday, and was to go from Tokyo to Washington on Sunday, but the U.S. visit was cancelled "on mutual agreement," the Itar-Tass news agency reported today quoting the Russian Defence Ministry sources. The cancellation was announced a day after the U.S. National Security Advisor, Condoleezza Rice, paid a 24-hour visit to Moscow to try and bridge differences with Russia over the role of the United Nations in post-war Iraq. On Monday she met the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, and held talks with the Foreign and Defence Ministers, as well as other Russian officials.

"The Russian side reiterated its known position on the war in Iraq and the need for the Iraqi problem to be returned to the United Nations as soon as possible," the Russian President's press secretary, Alexei Gromov, said.

However, Dr. Rice said the leading role after hostilities end would be reserved for the U.S.-led coalition, while the U.N. and other international bodies will have "roles to play" later on. .The Russian Ministry of Agriculture announced today that Russia would supply 500,000 tonnes of wheat to Iraq this year.

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