Damascus meeting for Iraqi neighboring states, attended by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey, Iran
Syria-Regional, Politics, 1/17/2003

Well-informed Arab diplomatic sources said that a 6- member meeting at the level of foreign ministers will be held in Damascus next week. The meeting will include Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey and Iran in order to discuss a peaceful solution for the Iraqi crisis, based on the implementation of UN resolution 1441.

The diplomatic sources said that the idea of the meeting is Syrian, and it was discussed by the Syrian foreign minister Farouk al-Shara during his recent visit to Ankara, when he proposed convening the meeting in Damascus to discuss means of sparing the American war against Iraq.

The diplomatic sources said that the idea was discussed with the countries concerned Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey and Iran which will be visited tomorrow by the Syrian foreign minister to assure the "solid relations with Tehran especially amid the critical times and because the two friendly countries take the same common stand in rejecting the American war and in supporting UN resolution 1441."

The diplomatic sources added that Damascus' meeting will concentrate on discussing "means of providing a peaceful solution for implementing UN resolution 1441 and avoiding Iraq and the region the consequences of the American war." The sources explained that President Bashar al-Assad discussed the idea directly with the Saudi, Egyptian, Jordanian, Iranian and Turkish leaderships and this principle was agreed to but on the ground that the meeting will be to discuss details of implementing UN resolution 1441 and to prevent the wars."

The sources said that the 6- member meeting will not discuss in any way changing the regime in Iraq because this matter is not "its right."

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