BAGHDAD Iraq criticized U.S. efforts to extend a six-month oil-for-food deal with the Untied Nations to an 18-month timeframe. State-run Al-Iraq newspaper said the attempt ``is a new American ploy and part of an aggressive pursuit'' to prolong UN trade sanctions on Iraq. Iraq is allowed, under a Dec. 1996 UN Security Council deal, to sell limited oil worth $2 billion each six months to buy food and medicine for its people.

The council expanded the deal earlier this year - now in its third phase - by permitting Iraq to boost the value of exports to $5.2 billion during the fourth phase. The current phase expires on June 3. The United States is lobbying to change the program to an 18-month timeframe to increase efficiency and reduce the possibility that exports might be interrupted.

``Such a dubious move by the United States to extend the timeframe of the program to 18 months will be totally rejected,'' the Al-Iraq daily said. It said Iraq viewed its oil deal with the United Nations as a temporary step and extending its duration will turn it into a permanent measure, ``something we cannot accept under any circumstances.'' Iraq has submitted its plan for distributing supplies to be purchased under the fourth phase under which it hopes to collect $4 billion.

State-controlled newspapers also carried remarks made by Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz in Paris in which he described the U.S. attempt as ``a trick that will be totally rejected by Baghdad.'' Iraq has based its export capacity for the fourth phase on the availability of spare parts to upgrade its pumping and export facilities. (AP)