The Turkish and Syrian leaders Saturday urged a peaceful resolution to the Iraqi-U.S. standoff, as Ankara launched a diplomatic initiative to reinforce ties with the Arab world ahead of a possible war. Turkey is opposed to military action in Iraq, its southeastern neighbor. But it also depends on Washington's support for massive IMF loans and has not ruled out allowing American forces to use Turkish bases to attack Iraq, as the United States did in the 1991 Gulf war.

"We still believe that this problem can be solved without war," Turkish Prime Minister Abdullah Gul told reporters after talks with President Bashar Assad. "Turkey and Syria agreed to coordinate efforts to bring a peaceful solution to the problem."

The Turkish prime minister urged the Iraqi government to cooperate with U.N. arms inspectors, whose chief has accused Baghdad of failing to account for material it produced in the past for weapons of mass destruction.

Syria's official news agency, SANA, quoted Assad as telling Gul, "The first thing that is required now is that the U.N. weapons inspectors complete their search."

Assad urged the United Nations and countries in the region to work hard to avert a U.S.-led war on Iraq and maintain regional stability and security, SANA reported.

Both leaders also agreed on the importance of preserving Iraq's territorial unity.

Syria is one of the most vocal opponents of a U.S.-led attack on Iraq.

Gul also warned that Iraq is like a Pandora's box. "This box should not be opened. Iraq should not disintegrate because it would be impossible to put everyone back into that box again," Gul told the Turkish newspaper Aksam in an interview published Saturday.

Before returning to Ankara, Gul went on a sightseeing tour in old Damascus, visiting the grave of Saladin, a 12th century Muslim leader.

On Sunday, Gul is scheduled to return to the region for a quick Mideast tour, visiting Egypt, Jordan and possibly Iran. He plans to fly to Saudi Arabia on Jan. 11.

His diplomatic initiative is seen as a bid to show the Turkish public that its government has done all it could to prevent a war. Turkey, NATO's sole Muslim member, fears being alienated in the Islamic world if it backs America in a war with Iraq.

Turkey also fears that a U.S.-led invasion toppling Iraqi President Saddam Hussein could provoke the Kurds of northern Iraq to secede and promote secessionist aspirations among the Kurds of southeastern Turkey. A long-running insurrection among Turkey's Kurds has quieted only in the past two years.

PHOTO CAPTION

Turkish Prime Minister Abdullah Gul speaks to reporters upon his arrival at Damascus airport Saturday, Jan. 4, 2003. Gul discussed the Iraqi-U.S. standoff with Syrian leaders Saturday in a bid to reinforce Turkey's relations with the Arab world ahead of a possible war with Iraq. (AP Photo Bassem Tellawi).