No war if no proof, says Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia will not join any war against Saddam Hussein until it has seen UN evidence Iraq has been developing weapons of mass destruction, Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal says.

"We will not take part in a war against Iraq upon a US or a British request," Prince Saud said.

But if there was a UN request, he said the kingdom would study the organisation's evidence Baghdad has been developing banned non-conventional weapons before making its final decision.

"If the United Nations asks Saudi Arabia to join, depending on the material breach they show and depending on the proof they show, Saudi Arabia will decide," Prince Saud said.

Last month, he said the kingdom would not take part in any direct military action against Iraq even if sanctioned by the United Nations.

He has, however, said a final decision on whether to allow the United States to use Saudi bases in any UN-sponsored military action would be made later.

Saudi Arabia hosts about 4,500 American military personnel and an undisclosed number of warplanes at the Prince Sultan air base south of Riyadh.

"We are exerting efforts to reach a peaceful solution to this crisis, because if war is triggered, nobody knows when it will end," Prince Saud said.

Pentagon officials have said Riyadh has privately assured Washington it could launch air support missions from Saudi bases in the event of a conflict with Iraq and could co-ordinate the air war from a central command post near Riyadh.

The Saudis later rejected the claims.