Arabic News Weekly Edition for Iraq, 1/27/2003
Weekly Edition, Iraq - Week of January 27, 2003
- Head of Iraqi national monitoring department says Blix report not professional
The Iraqi News agency INA said "Iraq's head of national monitoring department major-gen. Hussam Mohammed Amin announced that the report submitted by chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix to the UN security council on Monday was not professional and unobjective for it did not unveil us and British claims on existence of weapons of mass destruction.Ê" Iraq-UN, Politics, 2/1/2003 - Bush, Blair say Iraq weapons issue must be resolved quickly
US President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair said yesterday that Iraq's Saddam Hussein is not disarming as required by U.N. Security Council Resolution 1441, and that, in Bush's words, "this issue will come to a head in a matter of weeks, not months." Iraq-USA, Politics, 2/1/2003 - Iraqi opposition members arrive in Hungary Iraq-Hungary, Politics, 2/1/2003
- US Congress considers draft law for granting visas to Iraqi scientists with information on Iraqi weapons Iraq-USA, Politics, 2/1/2003
- BBC: UN Atomic Energy official denies Iraqi violations
Mohamed ElBaradei, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced that Iraq has not yet violated materially the resolution of the UN Security Council to dismantling its weapons, and thereby expressing opposition to what was concluded by the US and Britain following a presentation for the reports of both ElBaradei and the chairman of the Inspection and investigation committee Hans Blix to the UN Security Council. Iraq-UN, Politics, 1/31/2003 - Lebanon proposes Arab summit concerning Iraq, Moussa finds hope to avoid war
In its capacity as the chair of the rotating Arab summit, Lebanon has proposed to convene an Arab ministerial meeting in mid February in order to discuss the Iraqi crisis. Lebanon-Iraq, Politics, 1/31/2003 - Washington Post: Mandela criticizes Bush on Iraq; New Nato countries declaration
"Nelson Mandela, the former president of South Africa and an internationally respected statesman, lashed out at President Bush's stance on Iraq today, saying the U.S. leader had no foresight and could not think properly," the Washington Post reported Yesterday. Iraq-European Union, Politics, 1/31/2003 - Kuwait warns Iraq on any attack
The Kuwaiti minister of information Sheikh Ahmad Fahad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah stressed that Iraq will pay a "dear price if it attacks Kuwait " and accused Baghdad of attempting to escalate whenever there is a problem with the UN Security Council. Kuwait-Iraq, Politics, 1/31/2003 - Washington Post: Jordan to permit US Army on its land, gets patriot batteries
The Washington Post reported yesterday that Jordan has taken a decision to permit the American army on its land in case of war against Iraq. Jordan-Iraq, Politics, 1/31/2003 - Special meeting for the Gulf foreign and defense ministers
A source at the general secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council states (GCC) has stressed that the foreign and defense ministers will hold a special meeting to be dedicated for the situation in the region and Iraq. Gulf-Iraq, Politics, 1/31/2003 - Al-Watan: Al-Quseini: War against Iraq will retard development in Saudi Arabia, neighboring states
Saudi Arabia's minister of planning Khaled al-Quseini expressed his fear that an American war against Iraq will affect the march and objective of the development process in his country and other countries of the region. Saudi Arabia-Iraq, Politics, 1/30/2003 - Oman: Qurabi: War in Iraq will result in instability in the region
He stressed that Israel always tries to exploit any differences among the countries of the region in order to strengthen its influence. He added that Israel wants to control the Red Sea, noting these Israeli attempts require the Arab states to intensify their efforts against that. Yemen-Iraq, Politics, 1/30/2003 - Al-Wattan: Sabri welcomes resumption of diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia
Iraq's Foreign Minister, Naji Sabri, has welcomed the resumption of diplomatic ties between Iraq and Saudi Arabia if the latter has the desire. Iraq-Saudi Arabia, Politics, 1/29/2003 - Aziz: retaliation possible if Kuwait permits US to attack
The Iraqi deputy premier Tareq Aziz told the Canadian TV that Iraq will not seek to attack targets inside the USA if Washington launches a war against it, but Baghdad might strike Kuwait. Iraq-Kuwait, Politics, 1/29/2003 - Iranian helping measures for Iraqi opposition forces to cross into Irbil
The leading figure in the Iraqi opposition National Congress Ahmad al-Jalabi has stressed Iran's desire to ensure the travel of leaders of the Iraqi opposition to the city of Irbil in order to convene the first meeting of the opposition on the Iraqi territories since 10 years. Iraq-Iran, Politics, 1/29/2003 - Majar Herlab: First shift of exiled Iraqis arrive in Hungary for US training
The Hungarian Majar Herlab said yesterday that a first group including 500 Iraqis living in exile arrived on Sunday in Tashar military base to the south of the country to receive training on liaison missions with the American forces in case of war against Iraq. Iraq-Hungary, Politics, 1/29/2003 - IAEA chief: no evidence of revived Iraqi nuclear arms program
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has so far found no evidence that Iraq has revived the nuclear weapons programme it had eliminated in the 1990s, the head of the UN agency told the Security Council yesterday, while stressing that more time was needed for a conclusive assessment. Iraq-UN, Politics, 1/28/2003 - Rally in Rabat calls Arab-Islamic countries to adopt firm stand on Iraq issue
A rally, held in Rabat Sunday by the Moroccan committee of support to the Iraqi people, called Arab and Islamic countries to be firm in the face of the war threats laid against Iraq by the USA and its ally, Great Britain. Morocco-Iraq, Politics, 1/28/2003 - Iraq cooperating but needs to do more on 'substance,' Blix tells Security Council
While Iraq has cooperated in allowing United Nations inspectors into various sites, the top UN arms expert, Hans Blix, told the Security Council yesterday that Baghdad should be more forthcoming with information and allow greater access to key personnel with knowledge of the country's weapons programmes. Iraq-UN, Politics, 1/28/2003 - Sabri calls on Blix, al-Baradi to be fair, accuses the US and Britain
The Iraqi foreign minister Naji Sabri yesterday called on the two directors of the UN inspection teams Hans Blix and Muhammad al-Barade' to be fair in their report which they submitted later in the day to the UN Security Council. Iraq-UN, Politics, 1/28/2003 - After briefing by inspectors, Security Council plans to consult on Iraq Wednesday Iraq-UN, Politics, 1/28/2003
- Radical: Preparations for the likely American attack against Iraq Iraq-Turkey-USA, Politics, 1/28/2003
- Turkish temporary bridges on the border with Iraq Iraq-Turkey, Politics, 1/27/2003
- Powell Says Iraq Poses Threat to Peace and Security of All Nations Iraq-USA, Politics, 1/27/2003
- King Abdullah hopes Iraq attack will be quick, with minimum pain
The Jordanian King Abdullah II stressed that it is too late to reach a political solution to the Iraqi crisis, while his prime minister Ali Abul Ragheb remarked that Jordan may try to intercept any Iraqi Skud missiles fired against Israel in case an American war against Iraq is launched. Jordan-Iraq, Politics, 1/27/2003 - Iraqi opposition postpones meeting again; Iraqi army fortifies Karkouk; successful meeting betewen al-Hakim, al-Jalabi
Once again the Iraqi opposition conference was postponed until the mid of February, as opposition factions held a coordination meeting in al-Suleimaneyah where discussions centered on the role it may play during any American attack. Iraq-Iran, Politics, 1/27/2003 - Milliyet: Turkish- American joint military plan concerning Iraq
The Turkish daily Milliyet said yesterday that the Presidium of the Turkish army staff and the American military officials have finalized joint plan concerning likely military operations against Iraq, and that the two sides reached an agreement concerning the passage of American units to Iraq through the Kahbour Border Gate and without deploying these units on the Turkish territories. Iraq-Turkey, Politics, 1/27/2003 - Iraqi personnel decline UN request for private interviews
Exercising powers granted by the Security Council, United Nations officials in Iraq tried to interview privately several individuals, but were unable to do so after they declined, a UN spokesman in Baghdad reported Saturday. Iraq-UN, Politics, 1/27/2003