Baghdad criticizes officials' tours, US call for approach with Israel

The Iraqi newspapers criticized yesterday the US secretaries of commerce and defense who are traveling in the Gulf area to gather support for Washington's policy toward Iraq and push the Arab countries toward approach with Israel.

Al-Jomhoria official newspaper said the tour of US Defense Secretary William Cohen aims at gathering support for ratifying the legality of the so-called "no-fly zones" in northern and southern Iraq.

The newspaper denounced the statements of US Secretary of Commerce William Daley, who urged the Gulf states to make economic reforms and said he believed that the private sector could make an approach with Israel, saying that the approach the dreams of to become a reality cannot be.