WASHINGTON. Apr 3 : Ilie United States on Tuesday announced plans for its first high-level political meeting with Iraqi dissidents since the Gulf war, as the rebels appeared to be losing their battle against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, reports Reuter.

Administration officials instated there was no shift in the US policy of not aiding the rebels. The meetings seemed Intended to mute criticism against President George Bush for urging Iraqis to revolt and then adopting a hands off posture.

At her daily news briefing. State Department spokesman Margaret Tutwiler gave an unusually spirited defence of US policy, saying support for the Iraqi people's aspirations for freedom and human rights

"does not mean United States military Intervention" that would risk American lives.

Assistant Secretary of State John' Kelly will meet today six Iraqi Muslim intellectuals, representing Sunni and Shi'ite sects and a cross-section of opposition groups. Tutwiler said. Two Iraq-Amerlcans are among the six.

This is expected to be the first of four meeting With Iraqi dissidents over the. next three days. Kurds will be represented tn the later meetings, Tutwiler told reporters.

The meeting take place as Iraqi rebels are reported to be losing and suffering severe casualties in their armed struggle against Saddam.

Senior US officials have insisted the meetings do not signal a shift in US policy, which has been to stand apart ternational community, the removal of Saddam Hussein."

"The President has stated as recently as last Saturday that ft will be next to Impossible to have normal relations with Iraq as long as stated all that, it is quite different from saying you are going to interject yourself..."

Tutwiler also said Bush "did not make a policy speech calling on Iraqi people to put their lives on the line to overthrow the current leadership."

Tutwiler said State Department had received 10 requests for meetings from Iraqi dissidents since it announced last week that such queries would be received favourably.

Some may meet Secretary of State James Baker but that has not yet been decided.

Tutwiler said the department may not disclose names of individuals or groups if they request confidentiality.

from the civil war that has raged in Iraq since US led forces ousted Saddam's troops from Kuwait.

But they suggest the administration felt a need to respond to criticism, mostly from the media and scholars, of Its refusal to help the Kurds and other dissidents combat Saddam's vastly superior forces.

Tutwiler insisted there was not contradiction between Bush's urging Iraqis to overthrow Saddam and the US refusal to provide the dissidents with military assistance.

She called the bloodshed in Iraq tragic and appalling but said US policy as supported by the American people, the Congress and the United Nations, "never, ever stated as either a military or a political goal of the coalition or the in-ternational community. tne removal of Saddam Hussein."

"The President has stated as recently as last Saturday that ft will be next to impossible to have normal relations with Iraq as long as stated all that, it is quite different from saying you are going to interject yourself..."

Tutwiler also said Bush "did not make a policy speech calling on Iraqi people to put their lives on the line to overthrow the current leadership."

Tutwiler said State Department had received 10 requests for meetings from Iraqi dissidents since it announced last week that such queries would be received favourably.

Some may meet Secretary of State James Baker but that has not yet been decided.

Tutwiler said the department may not disclose names of individuals or groups if they request confidentiality.