International reaction to the use of force has been mixed with no firm support from any of the three other permanent Security Council members.

Russian protesters vent their fury

Russian President Boris Yeltsin welcomed the end of the air strikes, saying the international community must draw serious conclusions from the "senseless" attacks.

In a written statement he said the use of force had only made solving the Iraq crisis harder.

Russia led opposition to military action by recalling ambassadors from London and Washington.

Iraqi 'restraint'

Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov praised the Iraqi leadership's "restraint" and said it had "taken no steps that might have made the situation even more difficult".

Hong Kong residents demonstrate against the strikes

President Yeltsin, who at the beginning of the air strikes said diplomacy was the only way to solve the crisis, has said the global security system needs to be restored after being undermined by American and British action.

China, another permanent member of the UN Security Council, joined Russian opposition with President Jiang Zemin condemning the "unilateral" action of the US and UK.

On Sunday it too called for renewed diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis "by political means". Beijing is "ready to work with relevant parties to this end," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao.

France distanced from strikes

France, which has a long history of close relations with Iraq, distanced itself from the air strikes, saying that it had wanted to avoid military action "at all costs".

A demonstrator takes his message to the White House

Welcoming the end of military action on Sunday President Chirac said it was important now to concentrate on improving the living conditions of Iraqis. Oil sanctions in particular had to be examined, he said.

"For France, the solution to those problems assumes a fundamental review of the relations between Iraq and the United Nations," he said. The international community "must be able to carry out effective monitoring of Iraqi arms and any development of them".

"We must not, of course, relax our vigilance" he said.

Germany's Chancellor Gerhard Schröder echoed Mr Chirac's comments but warned President Saddam Hussein that "any new provocations will not be without consequences."