WASHINGTON, Jan 30: The United States has offered to try to find a refuge for President Saddam Hussein and members of his inner circle if the Iraqi leader decides to go into exile.

“If he were to leave the country and take some of his family members with him and others in the leading elite who have been responsible for so much trouble during the course of his regime, we would, I’m sure, try to find a place for them to go,” US Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Wednesday.

Speaking at a joint news conference with visiting Pakistan Foreign Minister, Mr Powell said that would be “one way to avoid war” and the United States had “indicated this before.”

Asked if the United States would also grant immunity to Saddam if he decided to leave Iraq, Mr Powell said: “It is not up to the United States alone to offer him that kind of protection. It would have to be a broader forum that might look at such a question.” The proposal for forcing President Saddam to leave Iraq was first tabled at a meeting of Arab organizations in California in December and was later taken up by Arab leaders and diplomats.

Reports in the Arab media suggested that Saudi Arabia was playing a key role in trying to persuade Saddam to leave Iraq. Although some Saudi officials later denied such a role, earlier this month Saudi envoys visited several Arab and Islamic countries where they reportedly discussed the proposal.