Iraq refuses the return back of UN inspectors

As Iraq has refused the call made by the US President George Bush to permit the return of UN weapons inspectors, France announced that the UN Security Council will discuss on November 30 the question of renewing the oil-for-food agreement.

The spokesman for the Iraqi government said in a statement on Tuesday that: Any person thinks that Iraq will accept such calls from this side or the other is "mistaken." The Iraqi spokesman added that his country is able to defend herself and rights and will not be subjected to threats, rather to right and justice. He added that before asking Iraq to permit the return of UN inspectors, sanctions should be lifted from Iraq and the two no fly zones over northern and southern Iraq should be abrogated.

Meantime, the spokesman for the French foreign ministry Francois Revaso on Tuesday announced that Iraq should have the liberty to import and export all commodities and items which do not have double use without the consent of the UN security council.

On the other hand, the American and British warplanes bombarded areas in South Iraq.

David Nagle, one of the officials in the joint American missions force in Southern and West Asia said that the American and British planes bombarded a position to the military leadership and monitoring in al-Nasereyah province to the south of Baghdad.