  We give a generalization of the Reshetikhin-Turaev functor for tangles to get
a combinatorial formula for the universal Vassiliev-Kontsevich invariant of
framed oriented links which is coincident with the Kontsevich integral. The
universal Vassiliev-Kontsevich invariant is constructed using the Drinfeld
associator. We prove the uniqueness of the Drinfeld associator. As a corollary
one gets the rationality of the Kontsevich integral. Many properties of the
universal Vassiliev-Kontsevich invariant are established. Connections to
quantum group invariants and to multiple zeta values are discussed.
