Pentagon report on Iraq intelligence politically motivated - FM

MOSCOW, March 27 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's foreign minister said Monday that a Pentagon report alleging Russia passed intelligence to Iraq during the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of the country was politically motivated.

"The way it was done suggests that there is a political subtext to this, and that this could be linked with the situation in Iraq," Sergei Lavrov said.

Lavrov said the United States had made no official approaches to Moscow over the issue.

"I have read about the publications and about official statements connected with the publication," he said. "More than that I don't know, because no American officials have approached us."

Lavrov said he was puzzled that the media rather than official channels had been used in the affair.
RIA Novosti