Pakistan -- a non-permanent member of the U-N Security Council -- says more time should be given to solve the Iraq crisis peacefully.
Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali addressed the nation Tuesday and repeated his position that it will be very difficult for Pakistan to support a war on Iraq.
Officials of Pakistan's ruling Muslim League say Mr. Jamali's cabinet decided Monday to abstain from voting on any US-backed Security Council resolution allowing war. But they said Mr. Jamali was not expected to announce this decision in his address.
The Pakistani government is a key ally in the U-S -led war against terrorism. However, a vast majority of the Pakistani people are strongly against a U-S -led war against Iraq.