Iraq urges UN to end British and US flights over "no-fly zone"

Iraq has demanded that the United Nations and the global community at large should take prompt measures to end British and US flights over the so called no-fly zones.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri's letter to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, which was published Wednesday, contains the above demand.

Baghdad qualifies imposition of the no-fly zones in the north and south of the country as "military aggression and an organised terror act," and is therefore calling for urgent measures to put an end to the above actions and condemn the aggressors, reads the letter.

International silence on the problem encourages further aggression against an independent country, according to the letter.

Regular air attacks on Iraq have caused extensive civilian destruction and casualties.

The letter points to Iraq's legitimate right to defend itself.

Baghdad does not recognise the no-fly zones the United States and Britain unilaterally imposed in 1991.