Sharp differences have erupted between the United States and Russia over items that Iraq should be allowed to import with the approval of the United Nations Security Council.

The dispute has held up the six-month renewal of the 'Oil-for-Food' programme, which expired on November 25.

It was given a short lease till Wednesday midnight. Under it, Baghdad can sell as much oil as it wants to finance purchases of medicines, food and other humanitarian items.

There are two lists -- items of one can be imported automatically but those on the second require the Council's approval.

The United States wants to shift some items from the open list to the restricted list, which Russia opposes. Moscow, in fact, wants to trim the restricted list.

The United States has as yet not been able to finally decide on the items it would like to put on the restricted list, as its inter-agency review is not yet complete, the diplomats said.

The programme has till now been extended for six months each time, but the United States would now like it to be renewed for three months. Some influential members are demanding an extension for full six months, fearing that Washington might veto the programme should it begin a military action early next year.

Meanwhile, US President George W Bush has reiterated the December 8 deadline for Iraq to provide an accurate declaration of its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programmes.

"Iraq must provide a full and accurate declaration of its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programmes. The declaration must be credible and complete -- or the Iraqi dictator will have demonstrated to the world once again that he has chosen not to change his behaviour," Bush said. "In the inspection process, the United States will be making one judgement -- has Saddam Hussein changed his behaviour of the last 11 years? Has he decided to cooperate willingly and comply completely or has he not? So far the signs are not encouraging."

He said that Iraq still fires on British and American planes patrolling the no-fly zones over it.

Other members of the Security Council reject this argument. They say that the no-fly zones were a British-American creation not authorised by the Council.

"The temporary peace of denial and looking away from danger would only be a prelude to broader war and greater horror. America will confront gathering dangers early before our options become limited and desperate," Bush said.

Meanwhile, Vice President Dick Cheney linked the ongoing war on terrorism and Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network to Iraq. "Given the chance, al Qaeda would join outlaw regimes like Iraq to get weapons of mass destruction.