Russia's Iraq embassy sparks row

Russia has condemned the United States for refusing to guarantee the safety of Russian diplomats in Iraq.

The American ambassador in Moscow said that because there was no Iraqi government in place, there was no-one to grant diplomatic immunity.

"We have no objections to Russian employees working in the building of the former Russian embassy in Baghdad, but we do not see their presence as a diplomatic mission," said US Ambassador Alexander Vershbow.

As the current occupation of Iraq has no influence on its existence as a state, [Iraq's] diplomatic relations with Russia continue Russian Foreign Ministry

"We cannot take responsibility for the safety of these employees," he said in an interview with the Interfax news agency.

Russia insists that the US, as the occupying power in Iraq, is obliged to recognise diplomatic missions.

"As the current occupation of Iraq has no influence on its existence as a state, [Iraq's] diplomatic relations with Russia continue," a statement from Russia's Foreign Ministry said.

Russia's Baghdad embassy - one of the few to remain open during the war - has caused friction between the two countries before.

The US accused the mission of helping Iraq's ousted leader, Saddam Hussein, with military technology and advice - an accusation strongly denied by Russia.

And the Russian ambassador and his staff came under American fire when they tried to leave Iraq.