Baghdad rejects Bush's warning

Baghdad yesterday rejected the warning of the American President George Bush and stressed readiness to fight for self- defense and for its leader.

Meantime, the UN security council will meet today at the ministerial level in what seems to be an attempt to return back Washington to the diplomatic track, after the US secretary of state Colin Powell announced he will not attend this session, and the same is for his British counterpart Jack Straw.

This comes as statements made by US Secretary of State Colin Powell revealed that the US knew that a second UN Security Council Resolution was needed for any military action against Iraq, making the US aware that any military action against Iraq are illegal.

Foreign ministers of FranceDominique de Villepin, Germany's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Joschka Fischer, Syria Farouk al-Shara confirmed their participation. They will listen to the last report by the chief UN inspector Hans Blix on tasks required from Iraq.

Just few hours from Bush's speech in which he warns Saddam to leave Iraq with sons within 48 hours, Baghdad has announced categorical rejection to that expressed by Iraq's council of the revolution leadership and the leadership of Iraq for the Baath Party under the leadership of Saddam Hussein who wore for the first time in years the military uniform, in the presence of the chairman of the Iraqi national council, Sadoun Hammadi, and the foreign and information ministers respectively.

In a statement issued in conclusion of the meeting, the participants said "Iraq does not choose its path under orders of a foreigner, not chooses its leaders according to decisions issues from Washington, London and Tel Aviv, rather by the will of the great people of Iraq." A similar statement to that effect was issued by the Iraqi cabinet following a meeting.