The Iraqi cabinet, chaired by President Saddam Hussein, said in a statement that Iraq's allies should instead campaign vigorously for the lifting of United Nations sanctions, which were imposed after the invasion of Kuwait in 1990.

The cabinet thanked those countries sending aid, but said Iraqis did not need money and were not lazy people who asked for help.

In recent months, Iraq has received humanitarian aid supplies from Syria, Egypt and several other Arab countries to help with severe shortages of basic commodities.

There have also been donations from Russia and even some from groups in the US.

A BBC correspondent in the region says the point of these visits is to express support for the Iraqi people, although the actual supplies are too limited to have a material effect on ordinary Iraqis.

In another development, Iraq said it had signed contracts with 15 foreign companies as part of its agreement with the United Nations, which allows Baghdad to buy humanitarian supplies with the revenue from oil sales.

Iraq is allowed to sell a limited amount of oil in order to help alleviate the effects of sanctions.