MOSCOW, January 28 (Xinhuanet) -- Russia will strongly oppose any
use of force against Iraq as an expansion of the ongoing
international anti-terror campaign, Russian State Duma's
International Affairs Committee Chairman Dmitry Rogozin said here
Monday.
   "The United States is hardly prepared to act tough as regards
to Baghdad," said Rogozin, who met Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister
Tariq Aziz in Moscow last weekend.
   The question of a possible geographical expansion of military
operations by the anti-terror coalition is essential for Russia,
Rogozin said.
   There were reasons for the anti-terrorist operation against the
Taliban movement and the organization al Qaeda in Afghanistan, "
but the situation with Iraq is different," he remarked.
   "Russia will strongly object to possible attempts by
international inspectors to pick on Iraq and therefore provoke a
tougher attitude to the presence of international observers on its
national territory," said the Duma leader.
   It is impermissible to use this policy (of weapon inspection)
as a reason for strikes on Iraq, he stressed.
   If the United States uses force against Iraq, "the Americans
will lose the support of its European allies, including Russia, he
warned.
   It is impossible to find a local Northern Alliance (agent) in
Iraq that would oppose the incumbent administration, the
parliamentary deputy said.
   "It is senseless to strike Iraq, to bomb or to fire missiles.
We have witnessed such actions, but they give nothing but a
possible strengthening of the regime of President Saddam Hussein
and a disappointment to Washington," he stated.  Enditem