Beirut refuses Washington's demand not to receive Iraq's foreign minister

The Lebanese government refused yesterday an official US request not to receive Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed Said al-Sahaf in Beirut.

Lebanese official sources confirmed that the Lebanese position relies on Iraq's Arab identity and that the US and Britain should remove sanctions against it and not be shelling its people with heavy weapons.

They also said al-Sahaf is the foreign minister of an Arab state carrying a written message from Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and that this cannot be refused.

The sources said the Lebanese Foreign Ministry received an official request from the United States through the advisor of the American embassy in Lebanon, David Hill.

Al-Sahaf is to visit Lebanon tomorrow.