Egyptian protests against bombing Iraq

The Arab Press Union yesterday issued a communique in which it called for the utmost effort to avert military action against Iraq, achieve solidarity with the Iraqi people as well denounce U.S. hegemony in the region.

The union also expressed its denunciation of U.S. duality in its approach to international issues and of U.S. attempts to use the U.N. to serve its policy, especially its rejection of any discussion of Israel's possession of an arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East.

The communique called for lifting the sanctions imposed on Iraq, stating that this policy opposes international and U.N Security Council resolutions.

Meanwhile, Egyptian opposition factions yesterday organized a peace march in front of the U.S. embassy. The protesters deplored the U.S. military presence in the Gulf. They also delivered a written message of protest, signed by more than 2 million citizens, opposing the bombing of Iraq. The message was handed to the U.S. minister for political and economic affairs at the U.S. embassy.

Meanwhile the Egyptian Press Union starts as of today a week of solidarity with the Iraqi people, during which several meetings will be held with those interested in the Iraq crisis.

On the periphery of the meetings, a photo exhibition will be held showing the tragedy of the Iraq children as a result of the embargo, imposed 8 years ago.