Saudi Arabia is the last leg of de Villepin's tour of Arab countries which has taken him to Egypt, Syria and Lebanon.

The French minister is expected to be received by Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, the kingdom's de facto ruler, and hold talks with Saudi counterpart Prince Saud al-Faisal focused on Iraq.

During his visits to Cairo, Damascus and Beirut, de Villepin called for the return of United Nations weapons inspectors to Iraq and for sanctions against Baghdad to be lifted as soon as possible.

He also urged the US-led coalition in Iraq to restore law and order, and for the United Nations to play a central role in the Iraqi issue.

In Damascus, de Villepin called for an end to the war of words between the United States and Syria over the latter's alleged support for the ousted regime of Saddam Hussein in neighbouring Iraq.

De Villepin enjoys wide popularity in the Arab world for France's strong anti-war stance in the UN Security Council during the seven-month diplomatic tussle that preceded the US-led invasion of Iraq on March 20.

Both Riyadh and Paris opposed the US-led war in Iraq. Saudi Arabia last week called for the Iraqi people to be allowed to choose their own government and decide their own future.

SPACE.WIRE