Abu Dhabi: United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan on October 23 said that a war against Iraq was "not inevitable" and called on Baghdad to respect international resolutions.

"The war against Iraq is not inevitable but Iraq must respect international resolutions," Annan said during talks with Emirates President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan during a brief stopover en route to New York from Central Aoia.

For his part, Sheikh Zayed insisted on the need for international laws to resolve conflicts, the official WAM news agency reported.

"He called for peaceful dialogue and wisdom to avoid a war that will be devastating for all parties, including the winner," WAM said.

The United States has repeatedly threatened to launch a military strike on Iraq to topple Saddam Hussein's regime which it accuses of developing weapons of mass destruction, a charge Baghdad denies.