January 21, 2003	Tuesday	Ziqa’ad 17, 1423

BAGHDAD, Jan 20: Iraq said on Monday it refused during talks with chief UN weapons inspectors the overflight of its territory by American U2 spy planes operating under the banner of the United Nations.

If the “pilot and crew are all US personnel but working under UN mandate, it’s still a spy plane,” presidential advisor Amer al-Saadi, who is in charge of Iraq’s disarmament dossier, told a press conference.

“To enter Iraq and be free to move around all over the country and loiter for hours, up to six hours, presents us with difficulties regarding our air defence capabilities.”

“It will present us with a real problem,” Saadi said.—AFP