US planes continue flights through Iraqi airspace
US and British warplanes on Wednesday flew in Iraqi airspace in northern and southern Iraq. No new incidents were reported.
Meanwhile, Russia has asserted the need to review the issue of the no-fly zones over the northern and southern parts of Iraq, which were established without a decision by the UN Security Council.
A spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry told reporters in Moscow on Wednesday that the question of the two no-fly zones will be reviewed sooner or later. He stressed his country's position in rejecting the establishment of the two zones.
For its part, France expressed regret over the confrontation which took place on Tuesday between the US and Iraqi planes in the no-fly zone over Iraq.
French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin said that the US "takes separate decisions and is reluctant in carrying out the role of the dynamo of the international community."
In a statement to the French daily Le Monde published on Wednesday Jospin said that the relations between the international community, and the UN and between Iraq has been transformed into a direct confrontation between Iraq and the Americans and British following the recent attack on Iraq.
Jospin stressed that France is a friend to the US but it does not spontaneously share with it its viewpoint, noting that France has ideas on how to get out of the Iraqi crisis which ensure permanent regional security and help in lifting the siege imposed on Iraq.
In Baghdad, Iraqi Defense Minister Lt. Gen. Sultan Hashem Ahmad said on Wednesday that his country will defend itself to the end. Ahmad's statements were made following the air confrontation took place on Tuesday between the Iraqi and US planes in the no-fly zone.
Ahmad told journalists in a celebration marking the foundation anniversary of the Iraqi Army, "We were attacked and we had to defend ourselves," adding that Iraq will continue in defending itself.
When asked about conditions of the Iraqi Army, Lt. Gen. Ahmad, the situation of the Iraqi Army is excellent and that the Iraqi Air Force is in a better condition."
On the other hand, Iraq has ordered its government officials to boycott the US and British attempts to supply Baghdad with food and medicine according to the oil-for-food agreement.