TOKYO, April 6: Saudi Arabia and Japan called on Thursday for a Middle East free of nuclear weapons and urged diplomacy to end the row over Iran’s atomic ambitions. Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz, who is also defense minister, and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi issued the joint call after talks in Tokyo.

“Both sides stressed the importance of urging all the states in the Middle East to accede to the Treaty of Non-Proliferation of nuclear weapons and making the Middle East region free from all weapons of mass destruction and their delivery means,” a statement said.

Although the statement did not mention Israel, Muslim states often use similar language to pressure the Jewish state, which has never acknowledged its suspected nuclear arsenal.

Iran has refused to comply with a UN Security Council demand to freeze uranium enrichment, defying a warning from major world powers which fear that it secretly wants to develop an atomic bomb.

The Saudi prince and Mr Koizumi ‘confirmed the importance of supporting the international diplomatic efforts which aim at non-proliferation of nuclear weapons as well as working for a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue’.

Japan has close relations with both Saudi Arabia and Iran, its first and third biggest oil suppliers respectively.

In February Japan hosted Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki in hopes that Tokyo could use its warm ties with both Washington and Tehran.

“It is important for (Iran) to walk on a path that does not lead to its isolation,” Mr Koizumi told the prince, as quoted by a Japanese official.

The Saudi Arabian prince was quoted by the official as telling Mr Koizumi it was important to strengthen international cooperation in solving the Iranian nuclear row.—AFP