Mousa calls on Powell not to harass Arabs and Muslims

The Secretary General of the Arab League (AL) Amr Moussa on Thursday called on the US secretary of state Colin Powell not to " harass the Arab and Muslim communities" in the USA, stressing the importance not to jump to " results that might result in grave conditions and lead to grave consequences."

Moussa told reporters in Cairo on Thursday that he also called on Powell to " honor the rights of the Arabs and Muslims," noting that Powell explained that the " US administration is aware of all this matter which was the subject of discussions with the US President ( George Bush) and several high ranking American officials."

Moussa quoted Powell as saying that the " US administration is currently taking all necessary measures to protect the Americans regardless to their origins." Replying to a question if Powell had asked for an alliance between the US and the Arab and Islamic states to counter terrorism, Moussa said:" There was no talk about alliances, rather on how to deal with the phenomenon of international terrorism. Arab countries and communities are not separable from other countries and communities to this effect, because we are all in the same boat. Now it is time for giving condolences and expressing sympathy with the American people."