Saddam Hussein praises his people; regional reaction
Iraq, Politics, 12/21/1998

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein called on the Iraqi people in a speech in which he praised them for confronting the attacks and achieving victory over the country's enemies, describing the British and the Americans as the "enemies of God."

A statement released by the Iraqi Army on Sunday said that Iraqi defense forces downed 21 missiles out of 81 dropped by the American and British forces on Saturday night. The statement added that the missiles targeted "residential areas, governmental buildings, intermediate studying institutes, hospitals, factories, refineries and several army military units."

According to Iraqi military statements, the number of missiles fired against Iraq increased to 121. The official authorities had not by Sunday night announced the final number of victims of the air strikes, but an unofficial count estimated that 73 people were killed, most of them civilians.

The Iraqi people celebrated the halt of the US - British shelling and marched in demonstrations in which they condemned US President Bill Clinton and his recent actions.

Baghdad radio began yesterday to broadcast national songs of the victory of Iraq and Iraqi heroism under the leadership of President Saddam Hussein in confronting the US - British attacks.

However, Iraqi radio did not announce the halt of US - British raids and continued to broadcast programs for general mobilization to confront these raids.

Meanwhile, Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa, said on Sunday that an Arab summit might be held to discuss the current situation in the Arab world.

Moussa was quoted by the Kuwaiti News Agency as saying, "There is a wish from all Arab states to meet at the highest levels and at the summit level to review the current situation and solve problems."

He described the Arab situation as "dangerous" and said the issues put forward are "dangerous."

He urged the Arab states to help each other in days of calamities and said that most Arab states have not accepted the military strikes against Iraq, stressing the need to give priority to the humanitarian situation in Iraq, MAP reported.

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh also supported convening an urgent Arab summit to deal with current developments in light of what is happening to Iraq during and after last week's US - British attacks, the dangerous tensions and disability created by these attacks in the region. He also assured his country's solidarity with Libya and Iraq.

Arab League Secretary-General Esmat Abdul Meguid received a written message from Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdul Qader Bajmal urging the AL to convening a summit at AL headquarters under the title "The return of Arab solidarity.

Arab states' permanent representatives at the Arab League will convene an unofficial consultative meeting today at the headquarters of the Arab League at the invitation of AL Secretary-General Esmat Abdul Meguid to make consultations over the US - British military actions against Iraq and their consequences on security and stability in Iraq and the interests of the US and Britain in the region.

Jordanian Crown Prince Hassan expressed his hope of resuming talks between Baghdad and the international community, while Kuwait and Oman have also expressed their hope to diffuse the tension in the region.

Crown Prince Hassan urged yesterday combining all efforts in order to end the Iraqi people's suffering and taking effective practical steps to present humanitarian aid, adding that this is not an alternative to lifting the sanctions from Iraq.

In press statements, Crown Prince Hassan emphasized the importance of resuming discussions between Iraq and the international community regarding all topics, pointing to the importance of identifying political goals for the coming stage and to the French initiative that calls for finding a new mechanism to handle the Iraqi crisis.

Crown Prince Hassan also called for lifting the sanctions from Iraq.

French President Jacques Chirac expressed welcomed for the decision to suspend the US and British military strikes against Iraq. In a speech he delivered on Sunday at Elysee Palace, the French president added that problems are still standing, adding, "We are now in a phase of drawing and implementing a real exit for the Iraqi crisis," saying that France will invest all its efforts to take part in this phase. He said that settling the problem needs a deepened study of relations between Iraq and the UN.

Chirac outlined needed steps, starting with improving the living conditions of the Iraqi people who have been sufferings for years. He added that this should be done promptly and very soon and that France has several proposals in this regard that will be submitted in due time to its partners.

Second, he called for the use of caution in that the UN will be able to closely monitor Iraqi weapons and prospects for developing them. Chirac added that this matter requires a new organization and a new method, noting that France also has proposals in this area which will be submitted to its partners.

Third, Chirac said the question of the oil embargo should be raised, calling it a problem of political sensitivity. The French President added that to achieve progress in such matters, "I in recent days exchanged views with the main sides concerned: the UN secretary general, the US president, the Russian president, the British prime minister and the main officials in the Arab countries."

The French President stressed that France is ready to provide all possible and positive contributions to find out the proper outlet for the crisis.

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat sent his envoy, Azam El-Ahmed, the official dealing with the issue of coordination with Iraq, to Baghdad carrying a message from Arafat to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

El-Ahmed said he will brief the Iraqi leadership on the communications made by the Palestinian leadership to stop the shelling against Iraq, adding that Arafat received in the last two days two messages from US President Bill Clinton concerning this matter and that that communications of various sorts and channels were made by the Palestinian leadership to not repeat what happened.

Meanwhile, a "crisis cell" set up by Morocco's King Hassan II, held last Friday its first meeting on the "suffering of the Iraqi people" and "the situation in the Arab world," following the US-British raids.

Chaired by Prime Minister Abderrahmane Youssoufi, the meeting also reviewed the military attacks' effects on the Arab and Islamic worlds and on the Moroccan public opinion.

A statement of the prime minister's office said the cell "will be following up closely and continuously the situation," highlighting King Hassan's "concern for the safety of brother peoples, their territorial integrity and attachment to peaceful means as a way to face situations of crisis on the basis of international law."

Previous Stories:
  US stops its attack against Iraq   (12/19/1998)
  Moussa hopes to contain Iraqi situation - regional reaction   (12/19/1998)
  Iraq: Life goes on   (12/19/1998)
  On Arab states reaction to the aggression against Iraq   (12/19/1998)
  Aziz: Attacks are criminal   (12/18/1998)

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