US observations about Arab summits and unity
Regional-USA, Politics, 9/15/1999

The Arab states are incapable of solving their problems and achieving unity as long as Iraq has Saddam Hussein as its president, said a US official.

This was stated by Undersecretary of State for the Near East Affairs Martin Indyk when asked yesterday about the US position on the Arab summit being spoken about in order to resolve inter-Arab problems with Iraq once and for all. Indyk said "it is a purely hypothetical question, since there is always talk of Arab summits, but there don't seem to be very many of them."

He added "a summit for reconciliation with Saddam is, I don't think, a very likely prospect, because there is a basic antipathy toward Saddam Hussein for all the things he has done against the Arab world, particularly against Kuwait, but, you know, now he is threatening the leaders of the region, almost-daily attacks on Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. So I don't think it is very likely that there is going to be a summit of reconciliation any time soon."

Citing Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and its president as the reason, Indyk explained that though there is since time immemorial a desire in the Arab states for unity and reconciliation and "that is an understandable sentiment," yet operationalizing this has not been possible.

Previous Stories:
  Meguid Denies discussing the Arab summit in meetings of foreign ministers   (9/14/1999)
  Moussa: Kuwait, Saudi Arabia do not oppose lifting Iraqi embargo   (9/14/1999)
  Arab common market: Border hostilities an impediment to trade, part 4   (6/26/1999)

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