By IPS Correspondents
Abu Dhabi, Apr 15 2003 (IPS)

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Arabic dailies have continued to show their concern about the situation in the Middle East, with particular emphasis on the repercussions of the Iraq war on the region.

Commenting editorially on the statement yesterday of UAE President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, affirming solidarity with the Iraqi people, the Sharjah-based ‘Al Khaleej’ said such a stance by the head of state "delineates the road to salvation and defines all that is needed from the Iraqis and the Arab nation to come out of this ordeal and face the future with a revived hope."

The ‘Akhbar Al Arab’ of Abu Dhabi called for making the Middle East a region "devoid of weapons of mass destruction" and for applying pressure on Israel to remove its similar huge arsenal.

Referring to reports that the US had used arms similar to weapons of mass destruction, resulting in the annihilation of three Iraqi squadrons, ‘Akhbar Al Arab’ commented that "if the authenticity of these reports has been confirmed, then it would be deemed as a dangerous state of affairs, especially since war may spill over to other countries on the US hit list.."

The Dubai-based ‘Al Bayan’ commented in its editorial on the next target in the US plans. The paper questions: – Has Syria become the second target of warmongers, in Washington and London, after Iraq? All evidence proves that Syria is innocent of the US and Israeli charges," ‘Al Bayan’ maintained, warning that the objective behind this campaign could either be to press Syria to give concessions in favor of Israel, or to seek "to tumble the second piece of domino."

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