Rep. joins delegation to Russia

Paul Clinton

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher joined a congressional delegation to Moscow

on Wednesday to warn Russia against helping Iran and Iraq develop

nuclear capabilities.

President Bush has included the two nations in his “axis of evil.”

North Korea is the third nation on that list.

“The delegation is not just here to beat up the Russians and

threaten them to change the course they are on,” Rohrabacher said in

a phone interview from his Moscow hotel room. “We are here to also

come up with some positive alternatives for Russia.”

Russian officials have begun helping Iran’s leaders build nuclear

power plants, a move that could lead to the Islamic state’s

development of weapons of mass destruction. Last month, Russia

announced plans to build five more reactors in the country in

addition to one now under construction at Bushehr.

Russian officials say they have proposed a long-term economic

partnership with Baghdad, which Iraqi officials say is worth $40

billion and could be signed next month.

The agreement would not violate U.N. sanctions against the

country, Russian officials say.

Rohrabacher, who represents Costa Mesa, said the delegation

offered to help Russia secure contracts to build power plants in

countries such as Turkey and the Philippines to generate income.

Rohrabacher joined Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Illinois), the chairman of

the International Relations Committee, and others in Wednesday’s

talks in Moscow.

The delegation met with Vladimir Lukin, deputy speaker of the

State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament. The delegation also

met with First Deputy Minister Vyacheslav Trubnikov and others.

The Russians described the talks as focusing on the “the close

cooperation of the two countries in counteracting global threats and

challenges, primarily on the part of international terrorism,”

according to an embassy statement.

The bipartisan U.S. delegation also included Reps. Bob Goodlatte

(R-Virginia), Doc Hastings (R-Washington) and Mell Watt (D-North

Carolina).

Bush has called for the ouster of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. On

Thursday, Rohrabacher joined powerful Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas) in

calling for military action to remove the Middle Eastern leader.

“America needs to take the lead, but we need to make sure we’re

not out there on our own,” Rohrabacher said. “I’ve spent a great deal

of time and effort on assisting the [Bush] administration to help the

people of Iraq liberate themselves from a horrible gangster.”

Bush, also on Wednesday, said he would consult with European

allies before authorizing military action against Iraq.

* PAUL CLINTON covers the environment and politics. He may be

reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail at paul.clinton@latimes.com.