Ignatenko: I believe that Iraq still has some time to act, but unfortunately it is not days, not months, but hours and minutes. Tariq Aziz, just before boarding his plane, he got into contact with our President, and he heard from our President the last words of advice, that is to weigh everything and to think over what could - this last stage of the war could bring. And I - as far as the authority, I don't believe that the foreign minister had all the authority in order to resolve all those issues in the spirit in which they were - President Bush's -

          Q: (Through interpreter.) What was the attitude to the - to the statement made today that no one has a right to present an ultimatum save the United Nations?

          Ignatenko: Well, it seems to me that President Bush, in all his activities, especially in trying to find a peaceful way to resolve this conflict, shows that in such difficult matters an ultimatum is indeed a means of last resort, because up to the last moment one has to find ways to save the world from bloodshed. And all the actions that our President has taken testify to that. It seems to me that today if there was an extraordinary meeting of the Security Council where the international community having before it on the table all those proposals that have been put forward, either by the Soviet Union or the United States, if the international community could integrate, if it could choose the best from those proposals, we could have arrived at a better turn of events. I hope that the remaining hours would not be lost in vain and that something will be done.

          Q: (Through interpreter.) You just said that Tariq Aziz - you said he had the authority to resolve those issues included into the ultimatum. The Soviet Union suggested further, harsher measures, but Iraq wanted to reject them.

          Ignatenko: Well, what you have in these six points is the maximum, which was possible to  achieve.

           Q: A question from the Chicago Tribune. As the negotiations have proceeded, it seems that the important vote, the important veto in these talks, was not the Soviet or the Iraqis, but the Americans, since President Bush, speaking for the coalition, said your plan was not enough. Do you now wish that you had been working closer with the American side all along so that the proposal put forth in Moscow would have been acceptable to the American side and to the coalition instead of only to the Soviets and the Iraqis? Thank you.

          Ignatenko: Yes, we've been working very closely with the Americans and we are maintaining a constant communications link, not only with President Bush. And this is indeed with foreign Minister Alexander Bessmertnykh also has a constant contact with his counterpart is part, his American counterpart. I believe that this is a matter-of-fact and businesslike and very (?) contact. And what I am telling to you right now is what has been done in attempts to find a mutually acceptable solution.And it seems to me that in that process, not only mutual interests were taken into account, but also the interests of the entire world.

          Q: Question from CBS News. If you are in such close contact with the United States, and if you keep talking about - (inaudible) - why is it that the White House came out today and said that the Iraqi acceptance of the six points was absolutely meaningless? Are you doing one thing in private and another in public?

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