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AGCC rallying behind Zayed Iraq initiative

The AGCC "agreed that this is a very important initiative and we think it needs to be discussed further in the Arab League," Shaikh Hamad said.

The Qatari minister underlined that there "were no decisions" within the AGCC on the significance of the proposal, which he praised for "asking the Iraqi leadership to decide (its fate) without interference in its internal affairs".

The AGCC ministerial council expressed its appreciation of Shaikh Zayed's efforts to stave off harm and military action against the Iraqi people.

In the final communique issued here yesterday at the close of its 86th two-day round of meetings, the council underlined the need to place Shaikh Zayed's initiative on Iraq within the Arab framework for further discussion and appraisal since "the chance to review it during the recent Arab Summit in Sharm El Sheikh was not given".

The council also reiterated support for UAE's full sovereignty over the three islands of Greater and Lesser Tunb and Abu Mussa and their territorial waters, airspace, continental shelf and the economic zone being an integral part of the UAE.

It stressed the importance of Iraq's instant and full compliance with the UN Security Council's Resolution No. 1441 and other respective decisions.

The communique welcomed Iraq's unconditional acceptance of resolution 1441 and cooperation with international inspectors, reiterating respect for Iraq's independence and territorial integrity.

The AGCC denounced ‘the brutal acts' of the Israeli occupation forces against the Palestinian people and called for an end to the Israeli occupation and for restoring the Palestinian right for self-determination and establishing their own state with Jerusalem as its capital.

Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz yesterday expressed his appreciation of the initiative of Shaikh Zayed on Iraq, and said it was aimed at warding off an impending danger on the Iraqi people, including a possibly devastating war whose consequences might well affect the region.

During a telephone conversation with Shaikh Zayed, Prince Abdullah said the ideas were primarily intended to provide an Arab alternative to the current standoff and thereby preserve the territorial integrity of Iraq.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal said in Jeddah yesterday the initiative of Shaikh Zayed was aimed at resolving the Iraqi crisis and thereby warding off a looming danger on the Iraqi people.

"The initiative contained ideas on possible ways of resolving the current crisis. Neither the Arabs nor others can doubt the motives of Shaikh Zayed, who acted in good faith and in the interest of peace, stability and security of the Iraqi people," said Prince Saud in remarks during a meeting with editors of Saudi newspapers. He added that Shaikh Zayed had had a long-standing reputation in supporting Arab causes and thus his message to the Arab summit contained his vision on how Iraq could be salvaged from the current crisis.

"Regardless of the views that might be expressed about the initiatives, this move should be viewed from the perspective of helping the Iraqi people who have suffered for so long," he said.

In Kuwait City, Speaker of the National Council Jasim Mohammed Al Kharafi praised the UAE initiative, which he said was aimed at bringing the Iraqi crisis to a peaceful solution and averting the catastrophe of wars against the Iraqi people and the region as a whole.

In a statement to Wam, Mr Kharafi said that the proposal was not strange to come from a leader like Shaikh Zayed who had the tradition of taking responsible and courageous stances. Describing Shaikh Zayed as a man who enjoyed the love of the Arabs, Mr Kharafi said: "No one in the Arab world has any doubts as to the noble motives behind His Highness's initiative at the time the Arab nation is in real need of wisdom and reason in dealing with the dangerous situation facing the Arabs."

In a statement to Wam, Jordanian official sources expressed their dislike for the obstacles that had been created to stop the initiative from being placed on the agenda of the Arab summit.

The Arab media also threw its support behind the UAE initiative. The Egyptian semi-official Al Ahramnewspaper described it as the 'Great Opportunity' to save Iraq from war and to prevent the dangerous fallout of any possible war.

In a leading article by Salah Mansour titled ‘Iraq or Saddam', the paper said: "The Arabs may realise when it is too late that the ideas presented by Shaikh Zayed at Sharm El Sheikh summit have been the great chance that they have lost not only to save Iraq but to prevent the dangerous fallout of any war."

The paper said that the reality on the ground demanded that we had to choose between Iraq and Saddam. "Any leader who repeats what Saddam did to his own people should deserves this to be his end. But it seems we have to pay a high price for our courtesy," it concluded.

The Lebanese Al Anwaar said that Shaikh Zayed's initiative wanted to overcome the current tragic reality of the Iraqi people and saw that to save Iraqi people from a destructive war was more important than any political considerations.

Describing Shaikh Zayed as the man who raised the strongest voice in criticising positions of big powers and their biased and unfair policies on Arab issues, Al Anwar said that Shaikh Zayed was in the thinking that saving Iraqi people from new destructive plights was more important than any political considerations.

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