Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal has called on Baghdad to agree to UN weapons inspections to spare the Iraqi people a war which risks breaking up the country. "Since Iraq says it does not possess weapons of mass destruction and has no plans to produce any, why doesn't it agree to the return of inspectors to settle the issue which will go to the Security Council" of the United Nations, the prince said in a interview with al-Hayat newspaper.

Such a move by Baghdad would be "wise" and "would spare the Iraqi people".

"We hope the government agrees to the return of the inspectors," Saud said.

The disarmament inspectors withdrew from Iraq on the eve of US air strikes in December 1998 and Baghdad has refused to allow them back, alleging many were Western spies.

"They can say they agree to the inspectors in line with the approach outlined by the UN secretary general, Kofi Annan, on Thursday," Saud said.

Annan said the resumption of inspectors was an indispensable first step to show the world Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction, as it repeatedly claims. If that proves to be the case the sanctions imposed in 1990 over the invasion of Kuwait could be suspended and finally lifted.

However, if Baghdad refused to allow inspections "we fear that the suffering of the Iraqi people will worsen and we will be worried about the unity, independence and stability of Iraq," Saud warned.

Iraq wants to make the return of inspectors conditional on the lifting of UN sanctions imposed on it when it invaded Kuwait in 1990.

PHOTO CAPTION

Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal addresses reporters after his meeting with French President Jacques Chirac to discuss the Middle East situation, at the Elysee Palace in Paris Tuesday Sept. 10, 2002. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)