President Saddam Hussein of Iraq has reaffirmed that his administration will resist the air exclusion zones patrolled by British and American planes in the north and south of the country.

He told his cabinet that they were a violation of Iraq's sovereignty and airspace.

His comments are the latest in a series of Iraqi statements that a BBC correspondent in Baghdad has said are aimed at keeping this crisis at the top of the diplomatic agenda.

On Saturday, Iraq threatened to ban Americans and Britons working with the United Nations oil-for-food programme, and reiterated its determination not to allow weapons inspectors back in.

Last week British and American officials said aircraft patrolling the southern no-fly zone retaliated after Iraqi missiles were fired at British aircraft.