JEDDAH, March 17: Saudi Arabia on Monday urged the UN Security Council to safeguard the independence and sovereignty of Iraq and try to avert a looming US-led war on the country.

“Ongoing discussions in the UN Security Council must focus on resolving the (Iraq) crisis peacefully and avert war in the region,” the cabinet said after a weekly meeting presided over by King Fahd.

“Divisions and differences between members of the Security Council will lead to grave consequences and to war,” said the cabinet statement carried by the official SPA news agency.

“The Security Council has a major responsibility to preserve world security and peace and safeguard the independence, sovereignty, interests and territorial integrity of member states, including Iraq.”—AFP