Trial influenced from outside unacceptable: Kamynin

Moscow, Nov 5 (UNI) Commenting on the death sentence handed down to former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, Russian Foreign Ministry official spokesman Mikhail Kamynin said it is unacceptable to influence the trial of a person from any country from outside.

''We assume that trial of a person from any country, regardless of his position, is an internal issue of the state and should be held without any influence from outside,'' Mr Kamynin said in a statement.

''We believe that any decision, especially the touchy issue like the trial of former Iraqi leader, should be taken on the clear judicial base without resorting to the political environment,'' he said.

''The judgement engendered controversial reactions in Iraq and a number of Arab states and fears that there will be even more instability,'' he noted.

''Bearing in mind the complicated situation in Iraq, it is very important to avoid things that may divide Iraqi society, hinder the search for national consent through a broad inter-Iraqi dialogue with the participation of all political, ethnic and confessional forces,'' Mr Kamynin said.

UNI XC SI BD2249