Jordanians collect pencils for Iraqi pupils

A Jordanian committee of support to Iraq will collect one million pencils destined for Iraqi pupils.

The committee, made up of political parties and trade unions, said in a statement Sunday that the embargo decreed against Baghdad bans the entry to Iraq of several double-usage products such as pencils.

Pencils are banned out of fear that their graphite could be used for other (military) purposes, the statement said, adding that the week-long pencil collecting campaign to be staged in January is meant to break the embargo against Iraq.

The committee called other Arab states to participate in the campaign and appealed for the holding of an Arab summit devoted to the embargo lifting.