MOSCOW, April 13. /TASS/. Russia has frequently warded off imminent carnage in the Middle East using its veto power at the United Nations Security Council, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on Facebook, commenting on critical remarks about Russia allegedly using its veto power too often.

"Because of Russia’s veto, massacres in the Middle East and North Africa were deterred many times," Zakharova stressed. "We have already seen Western coalitions’ attempts to use force. They ended in failures," she added.

The Russian diplomat also said that had Moscow changed its stance on Iraq in 2003, then "German authorities would have had to apologize for their participation in the anti-Iraq coalition."

"Germany and France seem to have abandoned sovereign foreign policy, pursuing the adventurous path set by their ‘big brother’ instead of following common sense," Zakharova went on to say. "But there were other times, when Moscow’s uncompromising stance and unwillingness to give into the test tube blackmail allowed Paris and Berlin to demonstrate prudence. Back then Europe was a solo artist, but now it has turned into a backup vocalist," she added.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said earlier that the United Nations Security Council had faced too many failures over Russia’s use of its veto power and called on the global community to step up pressure on Moscow to influence the situation.

Test tube as evidence

At the UN Security Council meeting on February 5, 2003, then-US Secretary of State Colin Powell waved a test tube containing some white powder, claiming that it was a sample of the chemical weapons developed in Iraq, which, in Washington’s view, explained the need to launch a military operation against Baghdad. Russia did not consider the test tube to be sufficient evidence proving the presence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

As a result, voting on a resolution stipulating the use of military force against Baghdad did not take place. Nevertheless, the United States and Great Britain launched a military operation without the global community’s consent. The operation involved neither Germany nor France.

Eventually, no trace of chemical weapons was found in Iraq.