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Just in from Reuters:
Saudi Arabia Says It Made Proposal to Halt Iraq War
Updated 12:21 PM ET March 25, 2003

RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday it had made a proposal to end the U.S.-led war on Iraq and was still awaiting a response, but it was not immediately clear whether it had launched a formal initiative.

Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal told reporters in the capital Riyadh the war threatened to spread hatred between the Arab world and the West and cause huge loss of life.

The foreign minister of Jordan, another of Iraq's neighbors, told a news conference broadcast by Abu Dhabi television his country was also keen to find a peaceful end to the war.

"We have made the proposal but we are still waiting for a positive response," Prince Saud said, speaking in English but declining to give any details.

It was not immediately clear whether he meant that Saudi Arabia had made a formal proposal to the two parties, or whether he was referring to a broad appeal he made last week.

On Saturday, he urged the United States and Iraq to halt what he called an illegitimate war.

He said on Tuesday the war must stop to "give diplomacy a chance to find a solution so that there is no great breach between the Arab street and the American and British people."

Saudi Arabia has publicly opposed a war on Iraq to rid it of alleged weapons of mass destruction, and said it would not allow attacks to be launched from its soil. It is providing support to U.S. and British aircraft involved in the conflict.

Jordan's foreign minister, Marwan al-Muasher, said they too were wanted a peaceful settlement.

"His majesty the king has spoken to a number of world leaders and we are trying to find a political solution for the crisis," he said. "We know that the situation is very difficult and dangerous, but this doesn't stop us from trying."

Muasher said American soldiers were in Jordan for defense reasons only. "There is no need for any increase in their number," he added.