UAE: The Arabs will remember Zayed's initiative after invasion of Iraq
Regional-Iraq, Politics, 3/3/2003

Minister of information and culture in the United Arab Republic Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan has extended criticism to the Arab leaders and to the Arab League because the AL did not discuss in Sharm esh Sheikh Arab summit on Saturday a proposal from his country for the Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to step down to avoid a possible war against Iraq.

The UAE news agency quoted Sheikh Abdullah, son of President of the UAE as saying that the " Arabs have unfortunately lost the initiative, by rejecting even the initiative of the UAE, the last hope for an Arab solution for the Iraqi crisis." He added, talking from Sharm esh Sheikh in Egypt where the summit was held, "should the summit have supported the UAE initiative, the US would have had to accept it. However the AL has not enough courage to discuss this issue."

Sheikh Abdullah said that the Arab leaders do not want to discuss this initiative because they view it as an unprecedented incident. "But the unprecedented event, regrettably is only applicable to the Iraqi regime which has brought in sufferings to the Arab world, on Iraq and on its neighbors." The UAE news agency quoted Sheikh Abdullah as saying that the "Initiative of Sheikh Zayed will be remembered by people and talked about after Iraq is invaded and the American forces entered Iraq and after we see an American ruler in Iraq."

Meantime, the Sharm esh Sheikh Arab summit was concluded on Saturday by announcing its rejection to launch a war against Iraq and decided to form a tripartite delegation from Lebanon, Bahrain, and Tunisia as well as the secretary general of the Arab League in order to dialogue Iraq and the power states with the aim of reaching a peaceful solution for the crisis in Iraq.

Previous Stories:
  Arab ministers reject Powell's proposal on Saddam to quit   (3/1/2003)
  Arab FM s preparatory meeting in Sharm esh Sheikh   (2/28/2003)
  Sheikh Zayed rejects threats against Iraq   (3/18/2002)
  Free trade agreement between Iraq, UAE   (11/5/2001)

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