Baghdad: Iraqi President Saddam Hussein on March 27 chaired a meeting of top military aides and government ministers, state television reported.

The meeting was attended by Saddam's son Qusay, who heads the elite Republican Guard, as well as Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan and Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz, it said.

Defence Minister Sultan Hashim, Information Minister Mohamad Said al-Sahhaf, Trade Minister Mohamad Mehdi Saleh and interim Oil Minister Amer Rashid were also shown sitting around the table.

The broadcast showed Saddam wearing an Army sweater over military fatigues but gave no details on the meeting.

Saddam was last shown in public when he appeared on March 24 on state television while meeting an official of the ruling Baath Party, hours after appearing on the channel to read a speech vowing that "victory is near".

The broadcasts have indicated that Saddam is still alive amid initial rumours that he had been killed or seriously injured in the first bombing raids on Baghdad on March 20.