IRAQ: Summit stance underscores mounting concern across Arab world

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

ABU DHABI, May 22 2003 (IPS) - The urgent call made yesterday by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders during their one-day summit in the Saudi capital of Riyadh for the Iraqi people to be allowed to run their own affairs and take charge of the country’s wealth underscores the deep concern that prevails across the Arab world about the future of that country, said a leading United Arab Emirates (UAE) Arabic daily.

The call also underlines the mounting fears about the instability that is currently prevalent in Iraq, following the fall of the regime.

– The GCC position, as stated d by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces in his address to the summit, was expressive of the aspirations of the Arab people pertaining to the return of normalcy to Iraq," said the Abu Dhabi-based ‘Al Ittihad’ Arabic daily.

The paper added that the position adopted by the GCC leaders was a message to the United Nations and the Security Council to shoulder their responsibilities in safeguarding the rights of the Iraqi people. The natural wealth of Iraq should also be preserved for its people so that the country regains its position among the world’s nations and also among its sister Arab countries, the paper said.

In order for these aspirations to be realized, said the paper, there is an urgent need for the Arabs to brush their differences aside and reach a consensus over a number of issues. It is only through unity that Arabs would be able to tackle the prevailing as well as the ever emerging challenges, most notably the challenge posed by the Iraqi issue in which Arabs should play a crucial role, said the paper.

ôWithout this unity and closer coordination, the Arab body politic will likely be struck by yet another painful blow," concluded the paper.