But there was no deal when Blair went to see President Vladimir Putin to ask him to drop his insistence that U.N. inspectors should go back to Iraq before sanctions were ended.

CNN: Analysis: Battles ahead over U.N. role

Of particular concern is the prospect that Moscow will now serve as a safe-harbor forSerbian financial and other assets -- which, thanks to the Kremlin's insistence thatimposition of tighter U.N. sanctions be postponed until 26 April, will likely be able to be transferred to Russia and other sympathetic nations and, thus, avoid international confiscation.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center For Security Policy