Iraq wants its third round of talks with the United Nations to cover not only the return of arms inspectors to Baghdad but also the lifting of crippling UN trade sanctions, Foreign Minister Naji Sabri said.
"The Iraq-UN file contains a number of subjects", Mr Sabri said in an interview with state-run television last night. First of all, we want to see a clear track that will lead to lifting the sanctions on our people, he said.
Mr Sabri confirmed that his talks with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan would take place on July 4th and 5th in Vienna.
They are due to discuss the possible return to Iraq of UN arms inspectors, who left on the eve of US-British air strikes in December 1998 intended to punish Baghdad for not co-operating with their inspection regime.
Mr Sabri said the talks should also discuss Iraq's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity - a clear reference to Western-imposed no-fly zones in southern and northern Iraq.
US and British warplanes patrol the no-fly zones and frequently bomb air-defence units which challenge the patrols.
Yesterday, Baghdad said three people were wounded when US and British planes struck targets in southern Iraq on Thursday, while a US official said the aircraft had bombed a radar system.