December 16, 2002	Monday	Shawwal 11, 1423

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RIYADH, Dec 15: Saudi Arabia has set up direct telephone lines with Iraq for the first time since Iraq’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait to facilitate bilateral trade, a Saudi official said on Sunday.

The decision, which went into effect on Saturday, is another sign of improving relations between Riyadh and Baghdad which broke ties over Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait 12 years ago.

The unnamed official said the move followed a visit to Baghdad by a Saudi trade delegation in October, when Riyadh took part in an Iraqi trade fair for the first time in 12 years.

The kingdom, which played a leading role in driving Iraqi forces out of Kuwait in 1991, has opposed any US attack on Iraq, which denies US accusations it has weapons of mass destruction.

Riyadh has refused to allow the United States to launch any attacks on Iraq from its territory.—Reuters