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BAGHDAD, Friday (AFP) US President George W. Bush and his Iraqi counterpart Saddam Hussein could settle their differences by choosing their weapons and dueling it out, Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan said Thursday.

In an interview with Abu Dhabi television also carried by CNN, Ramadan said "Bush wants to attack the whole of Iraq, the army and the infrastructure. If such a call is genuine, then let the American president and a selected group with him face a selected group of us.

"And we choose a neutral land and let (UN Secretary General) Kofi Annan be a supervisor. And both groups should use the same weapons, a president against a president, a vice president against a vice president, and a duel takes place.

If they are serious, this way we are saving the American and the Iraqi people," he concluded.

Bush has repeatedly threatened to topple Saddam's regime over its alleged weapons of mass destruction programs.

Meanwhile the White House scoffed Thursday at what it called Iraq's "irresponsible" suggestion that the standoff pitting Washington and Baghdad be resolved with a duel between President George W. Bush and Saddam Hussein.

"There can be no serious response to an irresponsible statement like that," Bush spokesman Ari Fleischer said.

Earlier, in an interview with Abu Dhabi television also carried by CNN, Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan suggested: "A president against a president and vice president against a vice president and a duel takes place."

"And we choose a neutral land and let (UN Secretary General) Kofi Annan be a supervisor. And both groups should use the same weapons, a president against a president, a vice president against a vice president, and a duel takes place.

"If they are serious, this way we are saving the American and the Iraqi people," concluded Ramadan. It was unclear whether he was joking.

Fleischer derided the proposal, saying: "In the past when Iraq had disputes, it invaded its neighbors. There were no duels; there were invasions. There was use of weapons of mass destruction and military. That's how Iraq settles its disputes."

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