ITALY PROTESTS IRAQ'S HANDLING OF EMBASSIES IN KUWAIT

Italy said yesterday it wants the European Community to seek a UN Security Council meeting on the Iraqi violation of diplomatic immunity of EC missions in Kuwait. A Foreign Ministry statement said Italy, current EC president, had called for a meeting of EC envoys to the UN ``to begin the procedures for a rapid calling of the Security Council...''

The statement denounced ``repeated and intolerable violations'' of diplomatic missions in Kuwait, particularly an attempt by Iraqi soldiers to break down a wall at the French embassy to cut off its water supply.

Meanwhile, Iraq warned it would attack ships if any of its vessels on sanctions-busting runs were damaged or sunk. The United States views a UN resolution passed by the Security Council Saturday as a mandate to use force to prevent ships taking supplies to Iraq and oil out.