 |
Al-Ahram Weekly 28 Jan. - 3 Feb. 1999 Issue No. 414 
|
||
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
 |
 |
|
|
Al-Ahram Weekly 28 Jan. - 3 Feb. 1999 Issue No. 414
|
||
| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
|
|
|
Egypt Region International Focus Economy Opinion Culture Features Living Travel Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters The message is clear
The US and Britain will be making another grave mistake if they misread the statement on Iraq issued this week by the Arab League meeting of foreign ministers, and considered it a green light to dump another series of bombs on the Iraqi people. So far, statements made by American and British officials indicate that they can see only one side of the story. The ministers' final resolution clearly demanded an end to the military attacks on Iraq and the use of diplomatic means only in dealing with the issue.The ministers clearly expressed their opposition to any attempts to intervene in Iraq's internal affairs or to threaten its territorial integrity. They also backed Security Council efforts to search for a new formula ensuring the correct implementation of Security Council resolutions passed against Iraq following its 1990 invasion of Kuwait. This means that Iraqis are entitled to see light at the end of the tunnel and that, if Baghdad fulfils its commitments, the tight economic sanctions will be lifted.
Arab League Secretary-General Esmat Abdel-Meguid clearly stated in his press conference following the meeting that "[UNSCOM Director Richard] Butler and those with him are now finished." After US newspapers revealed in detail how the supposedly neutral UN weapons inspectors included CIA spies who prepared the ground for last month's US-UK strike, how could things remain the same between Iraq and the United Nations?
Most Arab governments are dismayed by the accusations made recently by Iraqi officials against a number of Arab countries, and have good reason to distrust the Iraqi regime. These governments, however, are also aware that the Arab people are vehemently opposed to seeing more innocent civilians slaughtered by US bombs. For this reason, the Arab League and most Arab regimes rapidly and strongly condemned Monday's US attacks on Iraqi civilians in Basra.
The US and Britain should see the statement issued by Arab League ministers on Sunday as a rational attempt to solve the Iraqi crisis by peaceful means -- not as a licence for further aggression.
