Iraqi minister heads for UN talks

The Iraqi foreign minister, Mohammad Said al-Sahhaf, has left Baghdad for talks with the United Nations secretary-general, Kofi Annan.

The talks , set for early next week, are aimed at breaking the impasse over the stalled UN weapons inspections in Iraq and the international sanctions against Baghdad.

Mr Sahhaf said he was going to New York despite what he called Mr Annan's silence over Friday's air strikes by United States and British planes on the Iraqi capital.

Mr Annan said on Tuesday that the timing of the raids , about which he was not informed in advance, was awkward for the talks.

British officials said on Tuesday that Britain and the US were considering whether UN sanctions could be targeted more directly at the Iraqi leadership and armed forces, and less at ordinary Iraqis.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service