TOKYO, 21 December 2002 — Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, has reiterated the Kingdom’s calls for the United States to take a cautious stand on Iraq’s weapons declaration, Japanese officials said yesterday. Prince Abdullah made the remarks during a meeting with Japan’s special envoy on Iraqi affairs, Masahiko Komura, in Riyadh late Thursday, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said in Tokyo.
“Prince Abdullah told (Komura) that he hopes the United States will respond cautiously to the declaration submitted by Iraq,” the ministry said in a statement. “He said a war should be avoided as it will not resolve the problem, but only have a negative impact on the region as well as the world,” the ministry said.
In Tokyo, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda demanded yesterday that Iraq disarm voluntarily. “Iraq is given a last chance to follow its obligation of disarmament. Iraq must understand this very well,” Fukuda told a news conference. (AFP)
