Iraq calls for Arab economic summit

The Iraqi daily Babel on Monday called on the Arab states to convene an Arab economic summit instead of a political summit in order to deal with conditions and problems facing Arab interests with the beginning of a new century.

The paper said, "If we were not able to convene a political summit, we have to convene an economic summit which will be able to solve several complexes, while starting the journey of the one hundred years, the 21st century and to announce in a high voice the end of the cold war in the Arab political life and the end of all wars which have been for long prevailing the Arab life."

Babel continued that Baghdad is closer to the Arab capitals than Washington and London and that Iraq is an Arab human and economic force and a strategic depth for the Arabs now and in the future.