Iran, Oman, Yemen FM s discuss crisis developments

Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi on Thursday spoke on the telephone with his Omani and Yemeni counterparts, Youssef Bin Alawi, and Abdul Karim al-Iryani, respectively, during which latest developments concerning the crisis between Iraq and the US were reviewed. The three ministers expressed mutual hopes that Annan's mission will lead to a detente and avert the grave consequences threatening Iraq and the region.

International non-governmental organizations in Iraq such as "Voices in the wilderness" have also called for a peaceful solution to the crisis. In a statement released by their representatives in Baghdad, the organizations called upon the international community to admit that the humanitarian conditions in Iraq have become catastrophic following more than seven years of economic sanctions, noting the current crisis should be dissolved by means of dialogue and understanding rather than military power.

Pakistan said it opposed a US military strike against Iraq and stressed the need to embark on peaceful initiatives.

Meanwhile, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Sheikh Jamil al-Hujeilan said the GCC does not want Iraq or the Iraqi people to be endangered.

In a statement to the Lebanese magazine al-Hawadith, al-Hujeilan added that the aim of the GCC is to contain the current crisis between Iraq and the US.

Morocco stressed opposition to using a military option to settle the crisis and welcomed the decision of the UN chief to head for Baghdad.

Kuwaiti Defense Minister Sheikh Salem al-Sabah said the military strike against Iraq, if takes place, will not start from Kuwait. The Kuwaiti minister said he hoped the crisis between Iraq and the US will be settled diplomatically, calling upon Iraq to abide by international legitimacy resolutions.