Islamabad: Despite the passage of a new "unanimous" UN resolution on Iraq, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on October 19 said they would send troops to that country only on a request from Iraqi people and after a consensus was reached among the Muslim countries on the issue.

"The express opinion of the Iraqi people has not been shown to us, and until that time, we will not send any troops", visiting Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said at a joint press conference with his Pakistani counterpart Khursheed Mahmud Kasuri.

Kasuri said, "If the people of Iraq asked for help, Pakistan, as a brotherly will do what it can. We wait for that to happen and when that happens, the public opinion in Pakistan will also change."

Earlier, making terrorism the focus of his speech at the state banquet hosted in his honour by President Gen Pervez Musharraf, Prince Aziz said terrorists were enemies of Islam and hoped these elements would be defeated before they succeed in their efforts to defame Islam.

Apparently referring to the al-Qaida and jihadi outfits, he said, "We will be able to render them ineffective, frustrate and fail their evil designs."

Prince Aziz, who was given a rousing reception on his arrival in Islamabad on a two-day visit on October 18 did not refer to the Kashmir issues, which were the main theme of Musharraf's welcome speech.

Raising the Kashmir issue, Musharraf said it was the main hurdle in normalisation of Indo-Pak relations.

Musharraf said Pakistan wanted a meaningful dialogue with India on all issues but alleged India always found pretexts to avoid negotiations.

PTI