Iraq must comply unconditionally with U.N. resolutions regarding its suspected weapons sites to resolve the current military standoff, Foreign Minister Keizo Obuchi told Iraqi Charge d'Affaires Muhsin Ali on Thursday.
Obuchi expressed concern over the situation and said that Iraq must make a "courageous decision" by allowing international inspections if it takes its future seriously, according to ministry officials.
Ali told Obuchi that Iraq is not opposed to the inspections, adding that Iraq wants Japan to help implement fair and neutral inspections, the officials said. Ali said Iraq offered to open eight sites to inspection but was rejected by the United States.
He also expressed dissatisfaction with economic sanctions imposed on Iraq and asked for Japan's help to lift them. Earlier in the day, Obuchi told Chinese Ambassador Xu Dunxin that the crisis should be resolved by diplomatic means and did not clarify whether Japan ultimately supports use of force to end the crisis, they said. Xu told Obuchi that China does not support military action because it would further complicate the situation, according to the officials.