A large Spanish delegation is in Baghdad for a ten-day visit aimed at putting pressure on the United Nations to lift sanctions against Iraq.

A spokesman Carlos Varea was quoted as saying the delegation, which is more than one-hundred strong, had gone to Iraq to express solidarity with the people against the sanctions.

The group, consisting of left-wing representatives of the Spanish parliament, lawyers, members of non-governmental organisations and academics, will visit homes, hospitals and schools.

It's the second Spanish delegation to visit Iraq in the last two years to assess the impact of the sanctions the United Nations imposed on Iraq in 1990 after it invaded neighbouring Kuwait.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service