As Middle Eastern countries intensify their efforts to avert a possible US-led war against Iraq, most regional newspapers have one message: give peace a chance.

This Turkish diplomatic effort cannot be underestimated Al-Dustur

Iran's Tehran Times believes the flurry of diplomatic efforts is "indicative of the anxiety of the international community about the prospect of a new war against Iraq".

Regional countries are seeking a peaceful solution to the problem "since they believe that any change in the political system of Iraq should be carried out by the Iraqi people themselves," it says.

Peace efforts

Under the headline "Turkish diplomatic effort worthy of support", Jordan's Al-Dustur praises Turkey's call for a summit in Ankara on 23 January to find a peaceful way out of the Iraq crisis.

"This Turkish diplomatic effort... cannot be underestimated," it says.

The daily urges the countries invited to the summit "to respond positively to this move" and to "coordinate Arab diplomatic efforts".

The room for peaceful action is large even though the noise of war seems to have drowned all else Al-Jazirah

Jordan's Jordan Times agrees the Ankara summit "could be a springboard to crystallising a strong initiative to present the regional case against war to the world".

Saudi Arabia's Al-Jazirah also welcomes the "praiseworthy efforts", which "reflect a great sense of responsibility towards protecting the people and resources of the region from war's total devastation".

The chances of the outbreak of a war have now become as strong as the chances for averting it Al-Ahram

"The room for peaceful action is large even though the noise of war seems to have drowned all else... this requires the redoubling of coordinated efforts to avert a catastrophe."

Another Saudi daily, Al-Riyadh, points out that "while Saddam has no friends or supporters, the massacring of a people on the pretext of toppling him is inexplicable".

Kuwait's Al-Siyasah, however, feels that the fate of the regime is not linked to that of the Iraqi people.

"Striking at Saddam does not mean striking at the Iraqi people."

Pessimism on the rise

Egypt's Al-Ahram, however, is not optimistic. "The chances of the outbreak of a war have now become as strong as the chances for averting it".

America will cause total destruction as part of its plan to re-map the eastern Arab world Al-Jamahiriyah

It urges the United States to avoid "double standards" and deliver "harmonious policies vis-a-vis the various international issues and crises".

Compliance with international law and UN resolutions, it notes, "remains the only safe way for the world's superpower to safeguard world stability and security as well as its own position in this world."

Jordan Times, too, urges Washington "to be much more candid" by putting all its cards on the table well in advance of any military action against Iraq.

Libya's Al-Jamahiriyah is pessimistic, given all the US troops amassed in the Gulf.

"Are we on the verge of war or the verge of peace?," it wonders. "America will cause total destruction as part of its plan to re-map the eastern Arab world while Baghdad will fight to the last because it is a matter of life and death."

It calls for the intensification of diplomatic efforts as "working to prevent the first bullet from being fired is the most important - it would be difficult to stop the second bullet".

The world still believes in peace and justice Al-Riyadh

"If the Americans want to impose their lost credibility on the world," Iran's Al-Vefagh says, "they must stop supporting Zionist crimes and give the Palestinians their right of self-determination before they can promise the Iraqi people American freedom and democracy."

Anti-war protests

Saudi Arabia's Al-Jazirah believes "the anti-war demonstrations from Australia to the American West" indicate that the protesters realise the serious dangers of war, especially given the use of modern lethal weapons.

Saudi Arabia's Al-Riyadh also believes the worldwide anti-war protests "prove that the world still believes in peace and justice"

Jordan Times says the protests in Washington DC and other US cities "reflect a growing realisation among Americans that there is something seriously wrong in their country's approach".

Iraqi defiance continues

In Iraq, Al-Jumhuriyah echoes the Iraqi leader's message of defiance.

Iraq has won Babil

It urges "this age's Hulego [Mongol leader who sacked Baghdad in 1258] and its lackeys to keep their evils away from the mother of all civilisations".

"Our decisive victory over the American-Zionist idol is certain in our minds."

Babil, run by Saddam's son Uday, makes a similar point. Iraq has succeeded in foiling "American schemes" against it, which indicate that "Iraq has won."

"Neither America nor anybody else can change that even if it came with all its armies, fleets and lackeys."

BBC Monitoring, based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.