WASHINGTON, April 23: The United States insisted on Wednesday that UN sanctions against Iraq must be lifted and not just suspended, in an apparent rebuff of a French proposal to the United Nations.

France had on Tuesday urged the UN Security Council to suspend sanctions against Iraq, but said the removal demanded by the United States after the toppling of Saddam Hussein required the United Nations to certify Iraq free of banned weapons.

The United States rejected the French proposal.

“With the regime gone, the United States’ position is economic sanctions are no longer necessary,” White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said.

“The sanctions should be lifted, not merely suspended.”

The officials said de Villepin had moved first, telephoning Powell early Wednesday to seek clarification of the comments in the interview.

“He wants to talk to de Villepin about the consequences generally, what’s being considered and what’s not,” said one senior official. —AFP