Iraq said on Thursday it would ask the U.N. Security Council to condemn the United States for acting like a "terrorist state" by launching a war in violation of international law. In its first statement since military action began, Iraq's mission to the United Nations said Washington should be held accountable for its actions before international tribunals

"The United States acted as a terrorist state by attempting to assassinate the leadership of a member state of the United Nations," the Iraqi statement said. "This war will not be a picnic as some American officials like to portray."

Iraq accused President Bush of using "a bunch of lies" to justify the war, saying Baghdad was no threat to the United States, 6000 miles away.

It also said while Bush maintains he wants to free Iraqis "it has been clear to all the world that he wants to free the Iraqi oil wells from the control of the Iraqi people."

Iraq's U.N. ambassador, Mohammed Aldouri, who said he was only able to communicate once with Baghdad on Thursday, was unsure when he would ask, through Syria, a council member, for a council meeting. Indonesia also wants a council debate and if this fails, will ask the 191-member U.N. General Assembly to involve itself in the crisis, an Indonesian diplomat said.

U.S. WRITES TO COUNCIL ON WAR

Also on Thursday, the United States gave its official reasons for invading Iraq in a letter to the Security Council saying Baghdad had violated a cease-fire resolution adopted after the 1991 Gulf War.

U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte, in his letter, said military action was an "appropriate response" and "necessary step to defend the United States and the international community from the threat posed by Iraq and to restore international peace and security in the area."

Britain and Australia, the other two nations in the U.S.-led coalition, wrote similar, shorter, letters. None of the letters mentioned "regime change," an aim of the invasion but never authorized in any Security Council resolution.

PHOTO CAPTION

A lone United Nations press officer packs his briefcase while a guard locks the door after a meeting of the Security Council at U.N. headquarters Wednesday, March 19, 2003. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)