In the interview with state-run Doordarshan late Wednesday, Straw also said coalition forces had not underestimated the level of resistance US and British troops would face in the conflict.

"We've worked very hard to avoid civilian deaths and casualties. There will be some, very sadly, but I believe that once this military action is over the total number of civilian deaths and casualties would have been shown to be relatively small," Straw said.

Straw said he mourned the dead but that the war would save the lives of many others.

"I mourn for the deaths of these people, these babies and these children and the fact that they are Iraqis is irrelevant. They are people. They are human beings.

"I'm also certain the result of this military action will be to have spared the hundreds and thousands of Iraqis who would have otherwise faced death at the hands of Saddam Hussein and his people," he told Doordarshan.

Baghdad puts the number of civilians killed or maimed at more than 4,000. Coalition forces have not yet offered estimates but international aid agencies such as the Red Cross are reporting mounting civilian deaths.

The British foreign secretary also said US-led coalition troops had been prepared for a high degree of resistance from the Iraqi forces.

"They (coalition forces) have not underestimated the level of resistance that we thought we would encounter at all.

"We had very good estimation about the armed security forces available to Saddam," Straw said of the troops commanded by the Iraqi president.

"This is a big country. Twice the size of France. About 20 million people in it and of these around two million people are involved one way or the other in security forces. And some of them are very well equipped.

"So we anticipated that there would be serious and significant resistance. Especially by those people who have been part of the reign of terror operated by Saddam and it's exactly how it's turning out to be," Straw said.

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