Abdul Meguid expects written message from Saddam Hussein

Arab League Secretary General Esmat Abdul Meguid said he is waiting for a written reply from Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to a message delivered by his AL special envoy Ahmed Ben Hali at the beginning of the current week, saying that Hussein sent an oral answer but, "I believe that the main details will be in the written answer."

In press statements yesterday following the meeting of the permanent delegates to the Arab League he said that the preliminary report he received from ambassador Ahmed Bin Hali regarding his mission in Baghdad states that there is a desire from the Iraqi side to continue discussions with the Arab League.

About whether Iraq may withdraw its objections over the follow-up committee concerned with lifting the economic sanctions from Iraq, Abdul Meguid said Iraq did not retreat and that it has its point of view toward the committee's work, adding that the Arab League will revise the committee's work in coordination with its member states and with the Syrian foreign minister as head of the committee.

Abdul Meguid stated that the two no-fly zone areas in northern and southern Iraq are already listed on the agenda of the AL council, referring to the importance of putting an end to the US raids on these areas because the UN Security Council did not allow it.