UNITED NATIONS, June 28: Russia ran into a roadblock on Wednesday in a plea to the Security Council to condemn the killing of four of its diplomats in Iraq and to press Baghdad and the multinational force there to improve security for foreign diplomats.

The United States and Britain objected to parts of a draft Russian statement on the killings, arguing the text amounted to a slap at the US-led multinational force, which includes 127,000 US troops and 7,000 British soldiers, council diplomats said.

The Iraqi government, which is not a member of the 15-nation council, also was unhappy with the language, the diplomats said.

Unanimous council approval is required for the statement to be issued.

Russian diplomats said talks on the text were continuing.

US and British envoys played down any differences.

“They’re going to have a statement. It’s just a question of when,” US Ambassador John Bolton told Reuters.

The Russian foreign ministry is now weighing alternative ideas, he said.

The draft statement put forward by Moscow in New York, if adopted, would put the Security Council on record as ‘appalled by the horrific death’ of the four envoys and condemning ‘this crime committed by the terrorists’.

“The Security Council calls upon the government of Iraq and the Multinational Forces to undertake measures aimed at enhancing the security of foreign diplomatic missions in Iraq and their staff,” the draft stated.

“The Security Council also calls on the international community to assist the government of Iraq in exercising its responsibility in providing protection to the diplomatic community in Iraq, United Nations staff and other foreign civilian personnel working in Iraq,” it said.—Reuters