Britain reiterated its threat to mount further air strikes against Iraq when British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair rejected widespread international condemnation of Friday's Anglo-US attack.
|
|
|
The Prime Minister insisted the strikes against command-and-control centres around Baghdad had been justified in the face of increased Iraqi air defence activity against British and American jets patrolling the no-fly zones.
In a statement issued by Downing Street, he described that attack bu British and US warplanes as a "limited operation.''
"We had to respond in order to reduce the chances of one of his missiles downing a British plane. Operations such as the one on Friday night would not be needed if Saddam stopped attacking us,'' Mr Blair said.
"But as long as he does, I will continue to take the steps necessary to protect our forces and to prevent Saddam from once again wreaking havoc, suffering and death.''
The air strikes against Iraq, the biggest since Operation Desert Fox more than two years ago, were strongly condemned by Russia and China, both permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.
The Russian foreign ministry in Moscow issued a statement denouncing what it said had been an "unprovoked action'' by Britain and the US which had resulted in civilian casualties.
"This policy runs counter to the UN Charter and other international legal norms and exacerbates the already explosive situation in the Middle East,'' the statement said.
France, another member of the "Permanent Five" and an ally of Britain and America in the 1991 Gulf War against Saddam, also expressed concern at the attacks which, it said, would lead to "damaging tensions''.
"This raises a question mark. We await an explanation from the American administration,'' French Foreign Ministry spokesman Mr Francois Rivasseau said in a brief statement.
Across the Arab world there was widespread anger and dismay at the raids, which Arab League secretary-general Mr Esmat Abdel Meguid denounced as an "unwarranted aggression'' which would worsen the plight of the Iraqi people.
Mr Blair insisted that the maintenance of the no-fly zones was part of the wider effort to contain Saddam.
PA