Escalated wide world opposition to a war on Iraq
French President Jacque Chirac and his Chinese counter part Jiang Zemin stressed their countries opposition to war against Iraq and called the international community to exert efforts to solve the Iraqi crisis peacefully.
For their parts German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and the Italian Prime Minister Selvio Perlesconi affirmed that it is not necessary to issue a second UN. Security Council resolution on the Iraqi issue stressing that inspection operations achieved progress under the good Iraqi cooperation.
Schroeder stressed France, Germany and Russia's firm stance of opposing a possible U.S. war on Iraq.
In Iran, Iranian President Mohammed Khatami reiterated his country opposition to any military act against Iraq calling for solving this crisis peacefully.
On the other hand the Pope's envoy to the U.S. President George Bush affirmed that the Vatican stressed the necessity of solving the Iraqi issue peacefully in the framework of the U.N.
In Pakistan President Perviz Musharaf asserted that his country will exert efforts to find peaceful solution to the Iraqi crisis.
In this regard, Russia President Putin, through a phone call with his American counter part Bush, stressed Russia's firm stance in opposition to war on Iraq and the necessity ofa peaceful solution.
Chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency underlined that there is no reason to stop the inspection operations in Iraq under the complete Iraqi cooperation. He stressed that inspectors carried out their mission successfully under the Iraqi "good" cooperation.
On the Palestinian cause, world protests continued regarding the latest Israeli massacre in Gaza Strip which caused the death of 11 Palestinians and hundreds of people wounded including 4 journalists.
A Spokesman of the French Foreign Ministry expressed his country regret over the Israeli massacre against the unarmed Palestinian peoples.
In the same context Greece as the Head of the European Union condemned the Israeli Massacre against the Palestinians.
"The EU Presidency condemned strongly the use of brutal force by the Israeli army against the Palestinians calling for putting an end to the deteriorating situation in the Palestinian territories" the statement said.