Russia would block UN approval of force vs. Iraq

According to Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, Russia will not support any new UN Security Council resolutions regarding the authorization of war on Iraq and will veto any such proposals that are put forward. He also states that Russia will oppose any military action taken by the US against Iraq in circumvention of the Security Council and urges the US and UK to show a greater level of tolerance for those with views that differ from their own. Dominique de Villepin, the French Foreign Minister, and Joschka Fischer, the German Foreign Minister, echoed Ivanov's views with regard to their opposition to any Security Council resolutions sanctioning military action against Iraq. It is suggested that Ivanov's statements could be needlessly antagonizing the US, when Russia is being presented with an unique opportunity to mediate between the US, France and Germany.