UNITED NATIONS, Nov 19: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Britain, Russia and others contradicted US contentions on Tuesday that any violation of the no-fly zones over Iraq breached a new U.N. Security Council resolution.

Shortly after the United Nations Security Council adopted a tough resolution on Iraqi disarmament on Nov 8, the Bush administration said Iraq’s attempt to shoot down US and British aircraft over the flight exclusion zone was a violation of the measure.

None of the other 14 members of the U.N. Security Council, including Britain, believe the zones are included in the resolution, much less a possible cause for a violation.—Reuters