"The US draft submitted yesterday does not yet meet the criteria that Russia specified earlier and confirms now," Ivanov was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying.

Ivanov said that he had discussed the Iraq situation by telephone with US Secretary of State Colin Powell and French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin.

He said that Russia favors a new draft resolution that does not contain conditions on automatic use of force.

Ivanov noted that active consultations for the further work on the document will be continued within the framework and on the sidelines of the UN Security Council.

Russia "is interested in a mutually acceptable decision, which would allow preserving the unity in the work of UN Security Council," Ivanov added.

He reiterated Russia's call for speedy return of international inspectors to Iraq.

"In general, no new resolution is necessary for the work of the inspectors," he said.

Now that several Security Council members have spoken of the need for a new resolution, "we have agreed (to discuss the new draft resolution), proceeding from the criteria we are guided by,"Ivanov added.

(Xinhua News Agency October 23, 2002)