RIYADH, Aug 25: Iraq is launching a diplomatic offensive throughout the Arab world against any possible US attacks.

Emissaries of President Saddam Hussein are being sent to various Arab capitals within the next few days, the Iraqi Vice-President Taha Yassin Ramadan told the Al-Ittihad weekly.

“We are confident that they (the Arab leaders) understand that the American threats against Iraq are against the whole Arab nation and confirm the intentions of the US-Zionist administration to attack the capabilities of (all Arab) nations, be it with Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria or anywhere else,” he said.

He said Baghdad “hopes for more” from Saudi Arabia, underlining that Riyadh was moving towards the rejection of any attack against Iraq. Several Saudi leaders have said so on more than one occasions, he added. Last week, Baghdad also offered Riyadh to establish full diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Baghdad, he said, was also looking to mend fences with Kuwait, which it invaded in 1990, sparking the Gulf war and international sanctions.

Meanwhile, the first Saudi Arabian trade fair in Iraq, since the 1991 Gulf war, is scheduled to open in Baghdad on Sept 9. A big Saudi delegation was expected in Iraq for the fair. A number of leading Saudi companies would be participating in the event. Saudi-Iraq trade was expected to rise in the coming months, as Baghdad may prefer to buy Saudi products in its bid to open a new chapter in bilateral relations with Riyadh.

All Saudi companies dealing with Iraq, have in the meanwhile been instructed to do business with Iraq within the framework of the UN programme and that they should contact the United Nations directly.

“All their communications must be through official Saudi channels, especially the Export Promotion Centre, the chairman of Riyadh Chamber told the press here.