IRAQ: Arab leaders urge cooperation with UN

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

Att.Editors: The following item is by the United Arab Emirates news agency (WAM)

SHARM EL-SHEIK, Egypt, Mar 1 2003 (IPS) - A pan-Arab summit convened here today amid looming US-led war on Iraq urged Baghdad to cooperate with the UN inspectors in order not to provide any pretext for war.

– We oppose a war against Iraq or Kuwait, or any other Arab country and will regard it as a threat to the whole Arab nation, said Lebanese President Emile Lahoud, addressing the one-day summit of the 22-member Arab League. Lahoud handed over the rotating Arab League presidency to Bahrain.

ôWe extend our call for Iraq to continue its cooperation with the UN in order not to provide any pretext that would lead to a war," he added, calling on the UN Security Council not to follow a policy of double standards and also disarm Israel to make the Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak called for Iraq to be given more time to prove its seriousness in cooperating with UN disarmament resolutions. He said war would wreak havoc across the region.

ôThe current situation has made people in the region feel that the future of the Arab nation is hanging in the balance," Mubarak told the opening session. He also urged Arab leaders to work with team spirit to handle the daunting challenges which crop up in a difficult time. ôThe Iraqi dossier needs a common position to ward dangers off the Arab countries, including Iraq," he stressed.

The summit will try to find a peaceful solution to the Iraqi crisis, and is expected to reiterate Arab opposition to war in the region.

A European Union (EU) delegate to the summit underlined that inspectors must be given ample time to implement UN Security Council resolution 1441. Greek Foreign Minister and current chairman of the EU rotating presidency George Papandreou urged Arabs to play a more active role in Arab issues, pledging the EU’s support for Arab stances.