RIYADH. Dec 31: Saudi Arabia has reiterated its public stand that it will not allow the United States to use its territory to launch military strikes against Iraq, reports Reuters.

The Kingdom, a key US regional ally, also urged Iraq to abide by United Nations Security Council resolutions over its 1990 invasion of Kuwait.

The comments, carried by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA), were made by Second Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prince Sultan yesterday.

"Asked if in the future the Kingdom will allow the use of its territory by the United States to hit Iraq, he said first

we were not asked and (anyway) we will not agree," SPA said.

"If there is a misunderstanding we hope our brothers in Iraq will understand what their interest is and we hope our friends (an apparent reference to Saudi's western allies) will also look at the interest of Iraq," SPA quoted Prince Sultan as saying.

"We all call for protecting the Iraqi people, but we call on Iraq's leaders to implement Security Council resolutions to serve their country as well as the Arab countries."

Prince Sultan said "the appropriate solution to the current problem between America and Iraq is for everybody to go back to the United Nations charter." SPA said.

The United States has defence accords with Saudi Arabia and its Gulf Arab neighours. which guarantee it access.