Iraq cuts milk ration -- blames US and GB

Iraq says it's cutting milk rations to young children by one-third from next month because the United States and Britain have blocked supplies under the United Nations' oil-for-food programme.

Under the programme, Iraq can sell some oil for humanitarian supplies to ease the impact of UN sanctions, but it has stopped oil exports in protest against late deliveries.

The BBC correspondent in Baghdad says the Iraqis have provided documents which they say give details of supplies blocked in the UN sanctions committee by British and American vetos.

Washington has dismissed the allegations as baseless.

Iraq insists that in the last six months it has only received fifteen percent of the supplies it should get.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service