American officials said they also interpret the air embargo imposed Tuesday in this sense.

An air embargo is expected to win United Nations approval next week.

Jordan, France and Russia have sent planes to Iraq, saying there never really was an air embargo, despite contrary assertions by Washington.

His body is repatriated to Kandahar by a UN plane, permitted to operate on humanitarian grounds despite the air embargo.

The deal was struck just as more nations prepared to send flights to Baghdad in contravention of a longstanding air embargo on Iraq.

The resolution allows a 90-day grace period before the Council decides when and how the air embargo would be applied.

Diplomats said the sanctions committee held an emergency meeting this morning to examine whether United Nations resolutions, in effect, provide for an air embargo against Iraq.

Although not a United Nations member, Switzerland said it would observe the air embargo.

But the Sudan's Parliament urged its Government to ignore the air embargo today, calling it "an international crime."

Take, for example, the air embargo, which has not been ratified by a single UN Security Council.