Arabic News Weekly Edition for Iraq, 3/10/2003
Weekly Edition, Iraq - Week of March 10, 2003
- The US has not made its case against Iraq
The US vice president asserted Sunday that "We know (Iraqi President Saddam Hussein) has been absolutely devoted to trying to acquire nuclear weapons, and we believe he has, in fact, reconstituted nuclear weapons,'' Iraq-USA, Analysis, 3/15/2003 - What exactly does the USA mean by 'Iraq must disarm?'
The United States keeps reiterating that "Iraq must disarm." The US claims that Iraq has nuclear, chemical and biological weapons or capabilities. But the US has failed to provide credible evidence to this effect, and all efforts so far by UN inspectors have yielded no proof of such claims. Iraq-USA, Analysis, 3/15/2003 - UNICEF racing to bolster the strength of 400,000 malnourished children in Iraq
The report continued that Iraq has one of the highest rates of children under- five mortality in the world, with more than one in eight children dying before they reach their fifth birthday. Although it has improved in recent years, malnutrition also remains high, affecting one in four Iraqi children under the age of five- almost 1 million youngsters in total. Half of Iraq's 24.5 million people are children. Iraq, Health, 3/15/2003 - NY Times: U.S. Senator wants investigation into fake US evidence against Iraq
It added "Sen. Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia said he was uneasy about a possible campaign to deceive the public about the status of Iraq's nuclear program." Iraq-USA, Politics, 3/15/2003 - Chile will not vote for any war against Iraq
Chilean Foreign Ministry stressed yesterday that his Country will not support the American- British and Spanish draft resolution that paves the way for war against Iraq. Iraq-Chile, Politics, 3/15/2003 - Maher: Calling off Arab committee's visit to Baghdad inappropriate
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Maher said on Thursday that the postponing of a visit by the ministerial committee formed by the latest Arab summit in Sharm El-Sheikh was not an appropriate decision. Egypt-Iraq, Politics, 3/15/2003 - Middle East biggest loser in case there is war
It said in a report released in London yesterday that Egypt will sustain losses ranging from $ 6 to 8 billion as a result of a decline in tourism and export revenues. Regional-Iraq, Politics, 3/15/2003 - Canceling Arab League delegation visit to Baghdad
News reports in Cairo said that the committee assigned by the ordinary Arab summit in Sharm Esh Sheikh to move at the UN and Iraq canceled a visit to Baghdad that was due today. Iraq-Regional, Politics, 3/14/2003 - Saudi al-Jazeera: Kuwaiti official deny citizens evacuating to neighboring states
The Kuwaiti ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Jaber D'eij al-Sabah, has denied any evacuation of Kuwaiti citizens to Saudi Arabia or to the neighboring states because of fears of a war against Iraq. Kuwait-Iraq, Politics, 3/14/2003 - Iraq: 3 more banned missiles, 7 warheads destroyed under UN oversight
United Nations arms inspectors supervised the destruction of three more banned Iraqi missiles and seven warheads today as they continued to scour food plants for possible evidence of biological or chemical weapons. Iraq-UN, Politics, 3/14/2003 - UN inspector killed in a car crash in Iraq
An Iraqi source said that one UN inspector was killed and another was wounded on Thursday after a truck collided with their car as they were returning back from an inspection mission. Iraq, Local, 3/14/2003 - Non-Aligned Movement: Iraq's peaceful disarmament should lead to sanctions lifting Iraq-Malaysia, Politics, 3/13/2003
- Saudi foreign minister calls on Iraq to take dramatic steps
The Saudi foreign minister Prince Saud al-Faisal yesterday called on Iraq to take "dramatic steps" if it wants to avoid war. Saudi Arabia-Iraq, Politics, 3/13/2003 - Moscow refuses to expel Iraqi diplomats
A Russian diplomatic source asked not to be identified announced on Wednesday that Russia has ignored Washington's request to expel two Iraqi diplomats. Iraq-Russia, Politics, 3/13/2003 - Okaz: Pakistan's information minister: no to war against Iraq Iraq-Pakistan, Politics, 3/12/2003
- NY Times: USA demands Mexico to vote for war against Iraq Iraq-Mexico, Politics, 3/12/2003
- Al-Jazira: Qatar 's FM denies to have conveyed a message from Saddam to Bush Iraq-Qatar, Politics, 3/12/2003
- Coptic Church: attacking Iraq is against Christianity
The Coptic Orthodox Church sent a message to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan urging the international organisation to maintain the international legitimacy and prevent an unjust war against the Iraqi people. Iraq-Egypt, Politics, 3/12/2003 - Syria, Lebanon will not take part in the Arab committee to Iraq
A Lebanese diplomatic source has ruled out the participation of the Syrian and Lebanese foreign ministers in a visit to be held by the Arab committee emerged from the Arab summit to Baghdad, amid the vagueness overwhelming the nature of its mission in Baghdad. Lebanon-Iraq, Politics, 3/12/2003 - Vatican denies mediation for quitting Saddam Iraq-Vatican, Politics, 3/12/2003
- Australian official resigned in protest of his country's policy towards Iraq Iraq-Australia, Politics, 3/12/2003
- Arab ministerial delegation to meet Hussein on Saturday
The Egyptian Middle East News Agency said yesterday that the Arab ministerial delegation will head for Baghdad on Friday to meet with the Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, the next day, in an Arab attempt to avoid war against Iraq through consultation with the Iraqi leadership. Regional-Iraq, Politics, 3/12/2003 - Arab League: ministerial committee relayed to US rejection of war option Regional-Iraq, Politics, 3/11/2003
- Russia will vote against a new resolution on Iraq
Russia Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov stressed on Monday that Russia will vote against the American British new resolution regarding the Iraqi issue at the UNited Nations Security Council. Iraq-Regional, Politics, 3/11/2003 - Assafir: Lebanese FM: the Arab committee will not visit Iraq on Thursday
The Lebanese minister of expatriates and foreign affairs yesterday evening denied in a statement to the Lebanese daily Assafir issued today that the Arab Ministerial committee which has returned recently from New York has decided to visit Baghdad on Thursday. Regional-Iraq, Politics, 3/11/2003 - Iraq: Amer Rasheed is an acting oil minister
The Iraqi TV has announced that the Iraqi President Saddam Hussein yesterday appointed Amer Rasheed as an acting minister of oil, just two months after his resignation from his post as a minister of oil. Iraq, Politics, 3/11/2003 - Kuwait will not prevent war on Iraqis, and wants God to protects the Iraqis Kuwait-Iraq, Politics, 3/11/2003
- Iraq considers receiving Arab summit delegation on the crisis
The Arab League announced that Baghdad has agreed to receive its ministerial committee stemmed from the recent Arab summit in order to hold talks with the Iraqi officials concerning the current crisis. Iraq-Regional, Politics, 3/10/2003 - Al-Ahram: US may know of illigal weopan in Iraq because it supplied them
Former Egyptian Prime Minister Mustafa Khalil said that the law of nations would be enforced in case of the contradiction between the Egyptian-Israeli peace accord and the joint Arab Defense Treaty. Iraq-USA, Politics, 3/10/2003 - Destruction of Iraqi warheads and missiles proceeds under UN supervision
The United Nations yesterday supervised the destruction of six more Al Samoud 2 missiles and 11 additional warheads in Iraq, according to a spokesman for the world body. Iraq-UN, Politics, 3/10/2003 - Gemayel discloses meeting with Saddam two weeks ago Lebanon-Iraq, Politics, 3/10/2003