Iraq 'not afraid' of latest US threats

Iraq says it isn't afraid of US threats and is ready to defend itself against any attack.

President George W Bush has warned Iraq there could be consequences for producing weapons of mass destruction.

He has also urged Saddam Hussein to allow arms inspectors back into the country "to prove to the world he's not developing weapons of mass destruction."

The Iraqi spokesman, in remarks to the official Iraqi News Agency, said: "Iraq will defend itself and will not be terrified by any arrogant party."

The spokesman also called on the UN Security Council to lift sanctions imposed on Iraq since it invaded Kuwait 11 years ago.

Commenting on President Bush's remarks, Iraq's UN ambassador, Mohammed al-Douri, said that Baghdad will not allow the inspectors to return as long as the Security Council maintains the sanctions.

"Our position is very clear on that question that we will not permit any weapons inspectors," he said. "We have nothing to inspect."

Some White House advisers are pushing President Bush to make Iraq his next target. Many of those aides worked for President Bush's father who led the country through the 1991 Gulf War that ended with the liberation of Kuwait and Saddam's promise to stop producing weapons of mass destruction and to open his nation to inspectors.