MOSCOW, Jan 28: Russia on Tuesday warned it could adopt a more aggressive stance on Iraq, as calls intensified for a new UN resolution and more inspection time before any attack is launched on Iraq.

One day after chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix delivered his crucial report on Iraq to the UN Security Council, even the United States said a second UN resolution would be “preferable”, though it was not a compulsory move.

But in the aftermath of Blix’s report, the clear divisions between the world’s major powers remained starkly apparent.

Speaking to university students in the Ukrainian capital Kiev, Russian President Vladimir Putin had noticeably toughened Russia’s stance on Iraq, which was an important ally of Russia in Soviet times and whose massive oil reserves are of considerable interest to Moscow.

“If Iraq starts to present problems for inspectors, then Russia could change its position and agree with the United States on new, tougher actions by the UN Security Council,” said Putin.

In Moscow, Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov reiterated Putin’s message to Baghdad and said President Saddam Hussein must take note of Blix’s assessment that Iraq had not fulfilled its commitment to disarm.

“We think that the work of inspectors must continue, while the leadership of Iraq must listen very seriously to the recommendations that were voiced Monday” at the United Nations during the arms inspectors’ report, Interfax quoted Ivanov as saying.

But Putin also issued a stark warning to the United States not to launch military action against Iraq without a new resolution from the UN Security Council.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said there was an “overwhelming majority” in the UN Security Council on the need for a second resolution before any military action is taken against Iraq.

“That is the position we have on this issue and also the position of the overwhelming majority of the Security Council,” said Schroeder, whose country is to take on the presidency of the Security Council at the start of next month.

The White House on Tuesday had softened its rhetoric slightly on the resolution issue, saying a fresh resolution on Iraq would be “desirable but not mandatory” before launching military action.—AFP