IRAQ: UAE initiative at Arab summit was mere advice

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

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

LONDON, Mar 3 2003 (IPS) - The initiative presented by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to the Arab Summit last Saturday was but an advice to the Iraqi leadership and was not an intervention in Iraq’s internal affairs, Minister of Information and Culture Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan has confirmed.

In a statement to the London-based ‘Al Quds Al Arabi’ Arabic daily, Sheikh Abdullah said that it is up to the Iraqi leadership to either take or reject the advice.

– It is the duty of the friend and brother to advise, particularly if that brother is Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan who was the first one to call for reconciliation with Iraq and lifting of sanctions, over and above several Arab initiatives he presented for the best interest of the Arabs at first place and for the sake of the UAE," he opined.

Sheikh Abdullah said that those who rejected the UAE initiative ôare two camps. The first camp is those who fear that it will constitute a precedence that might lead to demanding other Arab leaderships to step down or to the change of incumbent regimes. As for those in the second camp, they are of the opinion that war should expeditiously be launched and that any peaceful way out must be avoided."

He added: ôWhat distresses us is that Sheikh Zayed’s initiative will viewed in future in the same way as Habib Bourguiba’s initiative towards the Palestinian cause was looked at."

He concluded by saying that ôwe present this initiative with appreciation and love to the Iraqi leadership and people."