Qatar calls for an urgent Islamic summit

An official source at the Qatari foreign ministry has stated that the Amir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa al-Thani, who is also the current chairman of the 9th session of the Islamic Summit Conference has made and received contacts with many of his "brothers" leaders of the Islamic countries concentrated on developments, conditions and challenges. Several leaders of these countries asked the him to convene an urgent summit to reconsider these developments.

The source explained in conclusion of his statement to the Qatari News Agency that Qatar has extended the invitation to convene an urgent Islamic summit and made necessary contacts with the general secretariat of the OIC to take necessary measures to this effect.

Concerning the American- European differences, the US secretary of state Colin Powell criticized France and Germany of seeking to rescue the position of the Iraqi President Saddam Hussein through opposing a military operation. Powell said he will talk about this mater tomorrow during a meeting for the UN Security Council. He added that the US is ready to lead a coalition either under the auspices of the UN and if it ( the UN) does not move and proved in futile, to supporting a coalition from the volunteering countries.

Meantime, the Pentagon announced it has summoned 40,000 reserve soldiers to actual service in the context of US war preparations against Iraq.