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Situation in Iraq "dangerous": Russia

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

New Delhi, April 9, IRNA -- Russian Deputy foreign minister Anatoly E 
Safonov said on Thursday evening that the developing situation in 
Iraq is dangerous and such a scenario was expected following the US- 
led military action in that country. 
Safonov who arrived here on Wednesday on a two-day visit told 
reporters at Russian Embassy in New Delhi "we regard it as a prize for
a grave mistake." 
"We are extremely concerned by the degradation of the situation in
Iraq," he said. 
Russia`s views have been conveyed to the US at all levels, he 
said, observing "we understand that the situation right now is so 
dangerous that we shall continue working together in dealing with the 
situation" and attempting to rectify the mistakes. 
Safonov, who also led the Russian delegation of the day long 
meeting of the Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism, said both 
India and Russia understand each other on the need for cooperation to 
meet new challenges including the threat posed by terrorism. 
Unequivocally condemning all acts of terrorism as "criminal and 
unjustifiable", both countries agreed to deepen their counter- 
terrorism cooperation and charted out a five-point plan of action 
which includes joint efforts to tackle threat of terrorist financing 
and curbing trafficking in narcotics. 
A joint statement issued after the meeting of the India-Russia 
Joint Working Group on Combating International Terrorism said the two 
sides agreed that institutional mechanisms set up by the UN Security 
Council for multilateral efforts to counter terrorism should be 
further strengthened and made more effective. 
Visiting Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Anatoly E Safonov led his
side at the JWG meeting, and the Indian team was headed by Meera 
Shankar, Additional Secretary (International Security) in External 
Affairs Ministry. 
The two sides exchanged views on new challenges including the 
threat of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) by 
terrorist organizations and discussed linkages between trafficking 
in narcotics and financing of terrorism. 
Both shared the view that continued cultivation of opium poppy and
trafficking in narcotics posed a serious threat to security, political
stability and economic development in many regions. 
2160/211 
End