On US attempts to topple Saddam

The Turkish daily Hurriet has attributed the new US moves to topple Saddam Hussein to the Arab reaction towards Iraq's withdrawal from the Arab ministerial meeting.

The paper said on Tuesday that the US ambassador to Turkey Mark Paris and Frank Ricciardone, who was appointed by the US as a coordinator for the Iraqi opposition informed the Turkish officials on Tuesday about the new US plans to topple the Iraqi president.

The paper added that Ricciardone told journalists in Ankara that he will shortly start his plan not only to topple Saddam Hussein but to "remerge Iraq with the world."

For its part the Turkish daily " al-Sabah" said that the US finds great difficulties in finding international support for its attempt aimed at toppling Saddam Hussein.

Added to these, the Turkish paper said, Turkish officials have the conviction that the US will not be able to topple Saddam through military operations. It said the Iraqi "opposition parties are not willing to cooperate with Washington against Baghdad."

The paper noted the "obvious sympathy" of the Turkish Premier Polent Ajawid with Saddam and his fears that the absence of authority in Baghdad will undermine the territorial integrity of Iraq and endanger the Turkish interests. All these facts, the paper said, are but new obstacles before success of the plans in Iraq.