Iraq seeks talks on US threats

Iraq wants high-level talks with the UN to cover a range of issues including US threats to topple Saddam Hussein.

The last meeting in March focused on the return of UN weapons inspectors to Iraq after more than three years.

It represents a key demand of the US, which accuses Iraq of trying to rebuild its banned weapons programs and of supporting terrorism.

Iraq's UN Ambassador says his government wants "a comprehensive" discussion of all outstanding issues, including the lifting of UN sanctions, the patrolling of Iraqi skies by the US and Britain, and their alleged threats against the country.

He said the return of weapons inspectors is just "one of the issues”.

But UN spokesman Fred Eckhard has said the objective of the talks is for Iraq to fully comply with Security Council resolutions, which means allowing inspectors to return to finish verifying that Iraq's weapons of mass destruction have been eliminated.