The influential Iraqi newspaper, Babel, has criticised Iraq's traditional supporters on the United Nations Security Council for not doing enough to avert last week's air strikes by the United States and Britain.

Babel, which is owned by Saddam Hussein's son Uday, said China's opposition to the military action consisted of simply handing out foreign ministry statements.

Russia, it said, had on several occasions asked Baghdad to make difficult concessions without obtaining anything in return.

The newspaper also criticised France, describing its attitude to the air strikes as hesitant and unclear.

It said it was expecting nothing to come of their joint efforts to push for a complete overhaul of UN weapons inspections in Iraq.

Iraq's rejection of UN weapons inspectors' demands led to the air strikes.