AL follow-up committee to meet in Damascus

Originally published March 3, 1999

The Arab ministerial committee responsible for following up on the UN Security Council's arrangements to eliminate the economic sanctions on Iraq is to meet in Damascus on March 7.

The meeting will be convened under the chairmanship of the foreign minister of Syria, Farouk al-Sharaa. It will be attended by the foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Jordan, Bahrain, and the secretary general of the Arab League, Esmat Abdul Meguid. The Arab ministers will begin to arrive in Damascus as of next Sunday.

The Arab FMs participating in the committee will discuss the committee's plan to find means, together with the UN Security Council, of alleviating the economic sanctions imposed on Iraq.

In this context, intensive contacts have been made between Arab League Secretary General Esmat Abdul Meguid and al-Sharaa on the need to hold the meetings of the committee before the 111th session of the Arab League Council due to be held on March 17 - 18.