A surprisingly open exchange between Arab leaders

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: "James H. Morris" <james.morris () cmu edu>
Date: Sun, 02 Mar 2003 21:38:40 -0500
To: dave () farber net
Subject: A surprisingly open exchange between Arab leaders





http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,251-597962,00.html


James H. Morris
Dean, School of Computer Science
412 609-5000
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~jhm


------ End of Forwarded Message
Insults fly at Arab League 'unity' summit
From Richard Beeston in Sharm el-Sheikh

THE Arab world was more divided than ever over the looming conflict in Iraq
after a weekend summit intended to forge unity ended in angry exchanges that
split the 22- nation Arab League into three camps.


Despite attempts by the Egyptian hosts to paper over the deepening divisions
within the Arab ranks, with a diluted joint statement opposing a US-led war,
the Arab leadership failed to produce a practical diplomatic solution to
avert conflict. 

The only concrete initiative, launched by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan,
the ruler of the United Arab Emirates, called on Saddam Hussein and the
Iraqi leadership to relinquish power and go into exile within a fortnight.

However, the proposal, which envisages an amnesty for Iraqis and a joint
UN-Arab League interim administration to run Iraq, was dismissed by most of
the other states. Although the exile option has been discussed in private
for some weeks, many leaders fear that a dangerous precedent would be set if
they encouraged the removal of one of their own members.

Nevertheless, the Kuwaiti Cabinet said yesterday that it supported the plan,
and the Emir of Bahrain said that Saddam should step down to spare Iraqis
and the region another war.

Babel, the Iraqi daily newspaper run by Saddam¹s son, Uday, said that the
leader of the UAE had a devil¹s heart.

³The one who calls for ousting the Iraqi President and placing Iraq under
the mandate of the United Nations and the Arab League is an American agent
with an Arab face,² the newspaper said.

Naji Sabri, the Iraqi Foreign Minister, rounded on Sheikh Zayed¹s son,
Abdullah, the UAE Information Minister, who circulated the plan at the
summit, saying: ³This Zionist agent child has brought disgrace to himself
and his father and his country with this silly statement.²

The issue never had a chance to be properly debated because the entire
summit came to a close in mid-session, due to a public argument between the
Libyan leader, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, and Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi
Arabia. 

Colonel Gaddafi criticised Saudi Arabia for making ³an alliance with the
devil² when King Fahd invited US troops to protect it from Iraq in 1990.

Crown Prince Abdullah interrupted the speech and, jabbing his finger at the
Libyan leader, branded him a liar and ordered him not to interfere in other
people¹s affairs. He then stormed out of the hall and the discussions were
cut short.

 

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