DATE=11/16/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-241753 TITLE=RUSSIA / IRAQ (L ONLY) BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN DATELINE=MOSCOW CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: RUSSIA HAS EVACUATED NON-ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL FROM BAGHDAD AND WARNED THAT THE IRAQ CRISIS IS FAR FROM OVER. VOA'S PETER HEINLEIN IN MOSCOW REPORTS A SENIOR RUSSIAN OFFICIAL SAYS IT IS NOW UP TO IRAQ TO COMPLY WITH UNITED NATIONS RESOLUTIONS. TEXT: TWO PLANES CARRYING MORE THAN 100 RUSSIAN WOMEN AND CHILDREN EVACUATED FROM BAGHDAD ARRIVED AT A MOSCOW AIRPORT MONDAY. THE DECISION TO REMOVE DEPENDENTS FROM THE POTENTIAL WAR ZONE WAS MADE BEFORE IRAQ'S 11-HOUR CLIMBDOWN IN ITS CONFRONTATION WITH THE UNITED NATIONS. BUT A SENIOR FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIAL IN MOSCOW MONDAY SAID WHILE THE THREAT OF AIR STRIKES HAS EASED, TENSION REMAINS HIGH. DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER VICTOR POSUVALYUK, THE MINISTRY'S TOP MIDDLE EAST EXPERT, SAID "VERY MUCH NOW DEPENDS ON IRAQ'S BEHAVIOR." IN AN INTERVIEW WITH RUSSIA'S SEMI-OFFICIAL INTERFAX NEWS AGENCY, MR. POSUVALYUK SAID "ALL THOSE WHO MAINTAIN CONTACT WITH BAGHDAD WILL TRY TO PERSUADE IT TO SHOW WISDOM." IRAQ WAS ON THE AGENDA FOR MOST ALL RUSSIA'S FOREIGN CONTACTS MONDAY. PRIME MINISTER YEVGENY PRIMAKOV DISCUSSED THE SITUATION WITH VISITING GERMAN CHANCELLOR GERHARD SCHROEDER. RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IGOR IVANOV HELD WHAT WERE DESCRIBED AS "DETAILED DISCUSSIONS ON IRAQ" WITH HIS CHINESE COUNTERPART ON THE SIDELINES OF THE ASIAN SUMMIT IN KUALA LUMPUR. AND DEFENSE MINISTER IGOR SERGEYEV BROUGHT UP THE SUBJECT IN CAIRO WITH EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT HOSNI MUBARAK. THE DEFENSE MINISTER LATER REITERATED MOSCOW'S CALL FOR THE IMMEDIATE LIFTING OF SANCTIONS AGAINST THE BAGHDAD GOVERNMENT. RUSSIA HAS LONGSTANDING TIES TO IRAQ, AND HAS HELPED TO MEDIATE IN PAST CONFRONTATIONS WITH THE UNITED NATIONS. BUT THROUGHOUT THE CURRENT CRISIS, RUSSIA HAS CRITICIZED THE SADDAM HUSSEIN GOVERNMENT FOR PROVOKING AN ESCALATION OF TENSIONS OVER U-N WEAPONS INSPECTIONS. (SIGNED) NEB/PFH/PCF 16-Nov-98 10:47 AM EST (1547 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .