Gulf states split over Iraq

Leaders of the Gulf Co-operation Council are going into the final day of their meeting in Kuwait with few signs of agreement over policy towards Iraq.

The secretary-general of the council, Jamil Al Hujailan -- a Saudi -- described President Saddam Hussein as an aggessive and uncontrollable despot.

And the Emir of Kuwait, which Iraq invaded in 1990, accused him of trying to evade United Nations security council resolutions.

But Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia was quoted as saying that it was time to look to the future -- remarks welcomed in Baghdad.

An official Iraqi statement said it hoped recent statements would lead to a new policy which would improve relations between Arab states.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service