Report: New Arab reaction towards Iraq
Regional-Iraq, Politics, 1/11/1999

The Lebanese magazine al-Shera has quoted sources it described as well-informed and authentic as saying that Arab states concerned with the situation in Iraq have started for the first time to take the initiative and carry out an effective role to find out an Arab solution for the situation in Iraq.

The paper reported that one of this initiative's steps is "Arab military interference in Iraq."

In an analysis on the Iraqi situation and the Arab position concerning it, the paper added that intensive and secret contacts had been made between Arab capitals concerned -- especially Damascus, Cairo and Riyadh -- during the past few days to crystallize "the said Arab stand."

The paper continued that the contacts also covered Iran and other Arab states with the objective of crystallizing a plan for an Arab intervention in Iraq and agreement on its main points.

The main points of the plan including demanding that Saddam Hussein resign, and if he does not accept, political and media pressure would start and might be followed by Arab military pressure to support a military act to topple Saddam; ruling out the US separate policy in Iraq and putting an end to new US military operations against Iraq; preventing the partition of Iraq; preventing Turkish and Israeli-Turkish interference in any coming crisis in Iraq; settling the problem of the Iraqi people and protecting them from the oppression of the government if a popular uprising erupts; support, especially from Arab sides and finding a role for the Arab League in Arab crisis, especially following the criticism the AL received over its role in Arab matters and crisis.

The magazine added in its debate of this "plan" that Egypt had set a precondition not to have any Arab project under a US umbrella and rather to have an inter-Arab project.

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