Russia Expresses Concern Over Humanitarian Situation in Iraq - 2003-04-13

Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed concern over the humanitarian situation in Iraq. A spokesperson for the ministry stated on Russian television today that according to international law, the responsibility for meeting the needs of the Iraqi people lies with the forces that have occupied the country. He also mentioned that American forces are responsible for the safety of Iraq's archaeological, cultural, and religious sites. Meanwhile, the Russian intelligence agency declined to comment on reports suggesting that military and other sensitive information about British Prime Minister Tony Blair was provided to Iraq before the war began. The Interfax news agency quoted a spokesperson for the agency stating that it does not comment on baseless reports. The British newspaper Sunday Telegraph claims that these reports are based on documents obtained from the destroyed Iraqi intelligence agency in Baghdad. According to these documents, Russia had provided information to the Iraqi intelligence about Mr. Blair's private conversations with other Western leaders. Russia also provided a list to the Iraqi intelligence on how to hire individuals in the West for assassination. The provision of information regarding arms contracts of Middle Eastern countries, including Kuwait, is another part of the information that Russia had provided to the Iraqi intelligence according to the documents discovered in the Iraqi intelligence agency. Neither the British Prime Minister's office nor the Russian Presidential office has commented on the Sunday Telegraph report.