Kawaguchi asks Saudi Arabia to put pressure on Iraq

NEW YORK, Sept. 15 Kyodo

(EDS: FIXING REFERENCE TO SAUDI FOREIGN MINISTER'S SURNAME, SAUD NOT AL-FAISAL)

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi asked Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal on Sunday to press Iraq to accept U.N. weapons inspections immediately and unconditionally, a Japanese official said.

Kawaguchi told Saud in a meeting in New York that Japan is now making efforts to persuade Iraq to comply with U.N. resolutions and briefed him about her meeting with Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri on Saturday.

Japan hopes Saudi Arabia, as a regional power, will also put pressure on Iraq, Kawaguchi was quoted as saying.

Saud told Kawaguchi that foreign ministers of the Arab League have unanimously adopted a resolution that Iraq must accept U.N. weapons inspection immediately and unconditionally.

Saud said he was relieved to hear that the United States will seek to resolve the Iraqi issue through U.N. diplomatic efforts, but added he is still concerned that Iraq may not comply.

This is a good opportunity for the international community to step up diplomatic efforts to avoid a military action, Saud was quoted as saying.

U.S. President George W. Bush told the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday that the U.S. work with the United Nations but action will be unavoidable if the U.N. fails to force Iraq to accept the return of weapons inspectors and destroy all weapons of mass destruction.

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