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Prominent lawmakers and activists appealed to the Supreme Court chairman Wednesday
to A U.S. congressional delegation met with top Russian officials
and lawmakers Wednesday to express concern over a proposed economic
cooperation agreement between Russia and Iraq and Moscow's plan
to build five nuclear reactors in Iran, the U.S. Embassy said.
Iraq and Iran are both part of what U.S. President George W.
Bush has termed the "axis of evil" because of their
efforts to obtain weapons of mass destruction.
"Over the past year, U.S.-Russian relations have greatly
improved, and it would be very regrettable to have recent developments
chill an otherwise blossoming relationship between our two countries,"
said Henry Hyde, head of the delegation.
Hyde, a Republican from Illinois, emphasized that Iran's effort
to acquire weapons of mass destruction could negatively impact
the security of the United States, Russia and the international
community.
Hyde also said that the United States expects Russia to continue
to abide by United Nations sanctions against Iraq. Moscow has
said its proposed long-term economic cooperation program with
Baghdad -- which Iraqi officials say is worth $40 billion and
could be signed next month -- would not violate sanctions.
Vladimir Lukin, deputy speaker of the State Duma, assured the
U.S. delegation that Russia would continue to respect the sanctions,
the embassy said.
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