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UAE initiative on Iraq is only advice, says Abdullah

In a statement to the London-based Al Quds Al Arabi Arabic daily, Shaikh Abdullah said that it is upto 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 Shaikh 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 not for the sake of the UAE only," he added.

Shaikh Abdullah said that those who rejected the UAE initiative "are two camps. The first camp includes 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: "What distresses us is that, Shaikh Zayed's initiative will be viewed in future in the same manner as Habib Bourguiba's initiative towards the Palestinian cause was looked at."

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

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