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April 14, 2006 |
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THE ARAB LEAGUE REVIEWS THE DEVELOPMENTS IN IRAQ. PRINCE SAUD AL-FAISAL: IRAQ'S ABSENCE IS NOT IN THE PEOPLE'S INTEREST. THE SUSPENSION OF THE US AND EU's FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO THE PALESTINIAN GOVERNMENT IS MET WITH REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION. IRAN'S NUCLEAR ENERGY PROGRAM RAISES INTERNATIONAL REACTIONS. The Arab ministerial committee on Iraq expressed deep regret at the absence of the Iraqi delegation from the meeting held at the headquarters of the Arab League in Cairo. In a statement following the meeting, the committee decided to leave the meeting open and follow-up the intensive consultations and contacts with the Iraqi government to overcome this situation. The recently-concluded Khartoum summit has instructed that the committee holds its first meeting at the earliest to assist the Iraqi people and explore ways of providing Arab support for the current political process, achieve national reconciliation and maintain the national interests for the Iraqi people. Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister, led the Saudi delegation to the meeting. The Arab Ministerial Committee on Iraq affairs, agreed to keep its meeting open in a bid to allow to allow Iraq to attend. The Committee that involves the Arab foreign ministers met in an attempt to draw up a common strategy on Iraq. Arab League Secretary General Amre Mussa said at a news conference with UAE Foreign Minister Mohammad Hussein Al-Shaali following the one-day gathering, that he briefed the Iraqi government on outcomes of this meeting, adding that Iraq will attend the next committee meeting. He said, discussions during the meeting touched on "historic framework" of the Iraqi National Reconciliation Conference slated in Baghdad next June and that would be preceded by preliminary meetings scheduled in Amman on the 22nd of this month and that will group the major Iraqi clerics. He said the Arab League will contact the concerned parties including the UN and the OIC. Responding to a question he said the overall situation in Iraq is very tense out of concern over the country's future, but underlined the need for preserving the unity and safety of the Iraqi "territory and people" as well as the social texture adding that the foreign presence has to shoulder its "legal and moral" responsibilities including the halt of blood letting. To another question on the upcoming Iran-US dialogue, he said the Arabs have their own interests in Iraq and nobody can "brush aside the Arab interests and role in Iraq". In turn Shaali said the committee underlined need to speed up formation of an Iraqi government and called on the Arab media to refrain from exacerbating any Arab-Arab differences. The statement released after the meeting, "expressed deep regret at the absence of Iraq from the meeting that the Arab summit called to help the Iraqi people and determine how to offer Arab support for the ongoing political process and achieve national reconciliation." Those attending voiced solidarity with the Iraqi people, expressed concern on escalation of sectarian violence in the country and urged for "self-restraint". Earlier Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari, whose future as premier is in doubt, announced that his country would not attend the meeting. The meeting grouped Foreign Ministers of Kuwait, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Saudi Arabia, in addition to diplomats from Algeria, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates. The Arab League said that it was planning to send a delegation to Baghdad to open an office in the Baghdad, paving the way for a stronger Arab involvement in the post-Saddam Iraq. During their summit meeting in Khartoum last month the Arab leaders called for a stronger Arab role in Iraq, which remains embroiled in violence three years following the US-led invasion. Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Saud Al-Faisal held talks in Cairo with the Secretary General of the Arab League Amre Mousa. They discussed the latest developments in Iraq and the coordination of Arab Ministerial Follow-Up Committee pertaining to Iraq. Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister, said he delivered a message from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz to President Hosni Mubarak. He added that he exchanged views with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on ideas pertaining to the ministerial meeting on Iraq. The meeting includes representatives of the countries neighbouring Iraq in addition to Egypt and Sudan. Prince Saud noted that President Mubarak had underlined the importance of a unified Arab stand to ease the sufferings of the Iraqi people. He pointed out that the meeting aims at helping the Iraqi people, and added 'Iraq is one of the founders of the Arab league'. Prince Saud said efforts are always exerted to extend support to the Palestinian people. Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Saud Al-Faisal Ibn Abdul Aziz Al-Saud arrived to head the Saudi delegation at the Arab Ministerial Follow-Up Committee on Iraq. Prince Saud was received at Cairo International Airport by Saudi Ambassador to Egypt Hisham Mohieuddin Nazer and the Kingdom's permanent delegate to the Arab League, Ambassador Ahmad Qattan. Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, left Cairo after a brief official visit to Egypt during which he delivered a message from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak at a meeting with him. While in Cairo, Prince Saud also led his country's delegation to the Arab Ministerial Committee in charge of Iraq. At Cairo airport, he was seen off by the Saudi Ambassador to Egypt Hisham Nazer and Saudi Arabia's Permanent Representative to the Arab League Ahmed Gattan. "President Hosni Mubarak received a message from King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz on Palestine, Iraq, Lebanon and Syria," the Presidential Spokesman Suleiman Awwad has said. Awwad said Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, who is in Cairo for the meetings of an Arab League (AL) follow-up committee on Iraq, delivered the message to President Mubarak. Awwad said President Mubarak and the Saudi Foreign Minister held talks on the means to bolster Arab action and the Saudi initiative in the Syrian-Lebanese file. During the talks, President Mubarak reiterated Egypt's call for the continuation of international financial aid to the Palestinian people, who "should not be punished by the rest of the world for having elected Hamas". "When the international community decides to cut economic aid to the Palestinian Authority, it is a collective punishment for the Palestinian people, who chose Hamas in democratic elections," Awwad said. He added that President Mubarak and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan reviewed in a telephone conversation two days ago the general situation in Iraq, the Darfur crisis and the situation in the Palestinian territories, where a food shortage is looming because of the closure of the crossings. On President Mubarak's interview with Al-Arabiya TV News Station in which he talked about Iraq, Awwad said that the Egyptian leader's comments should not be interpreted out of context. The Middle East News Agency (MENA) quoted the Presidential Spokesman as saying that President Mubarak was talking about the current situation in Iraq and not about any other Arab country. President Mubarak's statements expressed his 'grave concern and worry about the current developments; still he expressed hope that the present political process in Iraq would succeed in restoring stability and peace, Awwad said. Egypt and President Mubarak, he continued, have never discriminated against any Iraqi faction. Egypt holds that the Iraqis are one people whose country should be restored to the Arab fold. It is hoped that all the Iraqis will work together to rebuild their country, restore its stability and national unity and protect its territorial integrity, Awwad said. On his part, Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit Wednesday 12/4/2006 expressed Egypt's solidarity with the Iraqi people and its commitment to Iraq's national unity. At a meeting of the Ministerial Committee on Iraq, Abul-Gheit said he is confident that the Iraqi people and their political leadership are capable of standing up to the attempts to undermine Iraq's unity, security and stability. He condemned attacks and acts of violence that target the Iraqi people and their religious shrines. He called for renouncing all acts of violence and for preserving Iraq's unity. He stressed the importance of continuing the process of reconciliation that started with the preparatory meeting for the Iraqi national conference at the Arab League. On the other hand Dr Thierry de Montbrial Director of the French Institute for International relations and Dr. Pascal Boniface the founder and director of the Institute for International and Strategic Relations said the Arab initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz is the ideal solution for the Palestinian- Israeli conflict. They added that the establishment of the Palestinian state according to international resolutions would participate in calming the violence between both sides of the conflict. Dr de Montbrial said the Kingdom's role is a leading role, he added that the Palestinian elections are the results of the Israeli obstination, he added that the US administration must find a way to establish peace in the Middle East. He said that Iraq needs a government that can establish stability and security. Meanwhile the Arab League (AL) cautioned against a humanitarian disaster in the land administered by the Palestinian Authority due to the siege imposed by Israel on that land and due to the continued Israeli aggressive acts against it. The Assistant AL Secretary-General for Palestinian Affairs, Mohammad Sobeih, said in a statement that "the Gaza Strip would soon face a humanitarian crisis in case the Israeli siege it was facing continued along with the daily attacks." The AL called on the international community and the International Quartet, to assume their responsibility "in defense of the innocent Palestinians." The AL also called for pressure to be exerted on Israel to start negotiations with the Palestinians and to implement the US-backed Road Map. The AL cautioned that the unilateral measures taken against the Palestinians, including the halting of financial aid, could pave the way to a "worsening of living conditions for the Palestinians." The AL called on Switzerland, in its capacity as trustee over the 1949 Geneva accord, to see to it that the clauses of the accord are implemented, specifically with regard to protecting of civilians. Foreign Minister, Ahmad Abu Gheit affirmed that the Arab ministerial committee on Iraq held at the Arab League headquarters on Wednesday left the door open for Iraq's participation in the upcoming meetings. In a statement to the Egyptian television, Abu Gheit noted that the meeting has left the door "slightly" open, saying that the meeting is constantly held, hoping that an Iraqi delegation would participate in the upcoming ones. According to the minister, the absence of the Iraqi delegation disappointed all the sides, indicating that the members of the committee has a strong feeling to address a strong message to all the Iraqi people and sects to stop all conflicts. He added that the committee was also hoping to urge the Iraqi people and leadership to rapidly move to form a new government. He noted that the committee's meeting adopted the recommendations of the recent Arab Summit held in Khartoum which Iraq participated in, considering the Iraqi image at the present time is "dusky." Abul Gheit indicated that the national reconciliation conference in Iraq was due to be held last February but has been postponed until June. President Mahmoud Abbas criticized decisions of number countries to stop aid to the Palestinian people. Speaking to journalists in Ramallah city, Abbas said that they stopped the aid "under the pretext that the money is going to the government. But in fact it does not go to the government. It goes to the Palestinian people and human service," describing stopping it as a dramatic, tragic and annoying development. Referring to the Israeli latest military aggression against Palestinian territories, condemned Israeli policy, revealing that he is in a direct contact with concerned parties to stop the Israeli ongoing aggression against Palestinian people. Abbas said that the leadership as well as the Palestinian people is passing through unprecedented situation, describing it as "hard days". He reiterated the Palestinian readiness and willingness to start a negotiation based on the Road Map plan to reach a solution with Israel. "There is no other way but direct negotiations based on international legitimacy". The government rejected the European Union's decision to suspend direct aid to the Palestinian people. The government's spokesperson, Ghazi Hamad, said that such a decision is illogical and a collective punishment to the Palestinian people for their democratic choice. The government called on the EU to take its decision back, appealing to the Arabs and Muslims to support the Palestinian people and their legal government. Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) said that the suspension of international assistance would lead to a humanitarian catastrophe in the Palestinian territories. In a press release, PLO National and International Relations Department said that the seizure of custom taxes collected by the Israeli side on behalf of the PNA, imposing Israeli siege on Palestinian Territories and barring access for food and medicine would increase poverty among Palestinian people. It concluded that the health sector would witness a complete deterioration, calling on all human rights organisations and friendly states to immediately intervene and put an end to suspension of assistance to the Palestinian people. United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has proposed that the diplomatic "quartet" for Middle East peace hold a meeting in New York at the end of April or the start of May, Russia's foreign ministry said. Annan spoke by telephone to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and "underlined that today, as never before, we need to establish an organised strategy in the framework of the 'quartet' of international mediators and therefore proposed a meeting of the Middle East 'quartet' in New York at the end of April/start of May", the ministry said in a statement. "Sergei Lavrov supported Kofi Annan's initiative, including the inclusion in the plan of key regional players (above all Egypt and Jordan)," the statement said. The quartet, which groups the United States, Russia, the European Union and United Nations, has championed the roadmap peace plan, which envisions the creation of a Palestinian state in coexistence with Israel. The European Union and the United States have signalled they will take a tough stance on contacts with the Palestinians' Hamas-led government, hoping that Hamas will renounce violence. Russia received Hamas leaders in Moscow for talks last month, but its message to them was similar. Lavrov at the meeting told Hamas it had to respect the views laid down by the quartet, including that the Palestinians should recognize the "right of Israel to exist as a partner in negotiations, (and) the need to reject all armed methods of settling political questions". The international aid agency Oxfam slammed a European Union decision to suspend all direct aid to the Hamas-led Palestinian government, saying the move would hurt the Palestinian people. 'Whatever the politics of such a decision, it would be ordinary people who would suffer the consequences. Cutting aid now would undermine already fragile local institutions and only hurt ordinary people,' Oxfam said in a statement. The independent charity said relief agencies like Oxfam did not have the capacity to run health and education services in the Palestinian territories. 'The Palestinian Authority is responsible for this and therefore donors must keep funding it,' it stressed. Oxfam made the comments after the European Commission said it had stopped up to 30 million euros (37 million dollars) in assistance to the Palestinian government following Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh's refusal to renounce violence and recognize Israel. 'Payments to and through the Palestinian Authority are not authorised for the time being,' commission spokeswoman Emma Udwin told reporters. The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) voiced concern over the continued Israeli aggression on the Palestinian people and the economical and financial blockade. In a press release faxed to WAFA, Secretary-General of the (OIC), Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said considered the organidsed Israeli aggression as a state terrorism, stressing that the Israeli daily crimes contradict with the Fourth Geneva Convention. He called on the UN Security Council permanent members, UN Secretary General and the Quartet to immediately intervene to stop the Israeli crimes and illegal Israeli acts. Ihsanoglu reiterated on the implementation of the Road Map plan, ending the Israeli occupation to the Occupied Palestinian Territories during 1967 war and enabling the Palestinian people to establish their independent state, with Jerusalem as its capital. On the other hand Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran had joined the group of countries possessing nuclear technology and was determined to achieve industrial-scale uranium enrichment. The United States said Iran was "moving in the wrong direction" with its nuclear program and if it persisted, the United States would discuss possible next steps with the UN Security Council. "I am officially announcing that Iran has joined the group of those countries which have nuclear technology. This is the result of the Iranian nation's resistance," Ahmadinejad said in a televised address from the northeastern city of Mashhad. "Based on international regulations, we will continue our path until we achieve production of industrial-scale enrichment," he said, adding that the West must respect Iran's right to peaceful atomic technology. White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Washington would "be talking about the way forward with the other members of the Security Council and Germany about how to address this" if Iran continued to move in its current direction. The head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization said earlier that Iran had enriched uranium to a level used in nuclear power plants. "I am proud to announce that we have started enriching uranium to the 3.5 percent level," Gholamreza Aghazadeh said, adding that the pilot enrichment plant in Natanz, south of Tehran, had started working on Monday. Influential former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said that Iran was producing enriched uranium from a cascade of 164 centrifuges. Iran's announcement is a serious setback to UN Security Council efforts to have Tehran halt enrichment work. It could escalate a confrontation with Western powers leading to consideration of sanctions against the Islamic Republic. "We operated the first unit which comprises of 164 centrifuges, gas was injected, and we got the industrial output," Rafsanjani said in an interview with the Kuwaiti news agency KUNA. "There needs to be an expansion of operations if we are to have a complete industrial unit; tens of units are required to set up a uranium enrichment plant," said Rafsanjani, who was Ahmadinejad's rival in last year's presidential race. An IAEA spokesman declined comment on Iran's announcement and said no official agency reaction was likely for the time being. IAEA chief Mohamed El-Baradei is expected to visit Iran later this week to seek full Iranian cooperation with the Council and IAEA inquiries. Russia and the European Union joined the United States in condemning Iran's assertion that it had enriched uranium in defiance of a UN demand, but Moscow said force could not resolve the dispute. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared that Iran had enriched uranium for the first time and would now press ahead with industrial-scale enrichment. His announcement keeps Iran on a collision course with the United Nations and with Western countries convinced that it is seeking nuclear weapons, not just fuel for power stations as it insists. Denouncing Iran's successful enrichment of uranium as unacceptable to the international community, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said yesterday the UN Security Council must consider "strong steps" to induce Tehran to change course. Rice also telephoned Mohamed El-Baradei, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, to ask him to reinforce demands that Iran comply with its non-proliferation requirements when he holds talks in Tehran tomorrow. While Rice took a strong line, she did not call for an emergency meeting of the council, saying it should consider action after receiving an IAEA report by April 28. She did not elaborate on what measures the United States would support, but economic and political sanctions are under consideration. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the use of force could not solve the standoff over Iran's nuclear program, but he did not reiterate Moscow's past opposition to sanctions. "If such plans exist they will not be able to solve this problem. On the contrary they could create a dangerous explosive blaze in the Middle East, where there are already enough blazes," he was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying. US President George W. Bush this week dismissed media reports of plans for strikes on Iran as "wild speculation" and said force might not be needed to curb its nuclear ambitions. The Russian Foreign Ministry urged Tehran to stop all enrichment work, saying its proclaimed atomic advance ran counter to the decisions of the IAEA and the UN Security Council. But a senior Iranian official ruled out any retreat. "Iran's nuclear activities are like a waterfall which has begun to flow. It cannot be stopped," said the official, who asked not to be named, referring to the Russian demand. The IAEA, whose inspectors are in Iran investigating nuclear sites, has made no comment on Iran's statements. But an agency diplomat said: "The timing was strange but it may have been intended by them to improve their bargaining position." The Security Council has told Iran to halt all sensitive atomic activities and on March 29 it asked the IAEA, the UN nuclear watchdog, to report on its compliance in 30 days. Three European states behind a deal to suspend enrichment which broke down last year weighed in with criticism of Iran. British Foreign Minister Jack Straw said the announcement was "deeply unhelpful" and undermined confidence. His German counterpart, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, said Iran was "going in precisely the wrong direction" for a return to negotiations. French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said it was a worrying step and Iran should stop its "dangerous activities." The European Union voiced dismay. "This is regrettable," said Emma Udwin, a spokeswoman for Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the EU commissioner for external relations. The level of enrichment needed for nuclear bombs is far higher than the 3.5 percent Iran says it has reached. It would take Iran about two decades to yield enough highly enriched uranium for one bomb with its current cascade of 164 centrifuges. Tehran says it wants to install 3,000 centrifuges, enough to produce material for a warhead in a year. And Mohammad Saeedi, the deputy nuclear chief, said yesterday that Iran intends to move toward large-scale uranium enrichment involving 54,000 centrifuges, signalling the country's resolve to expand the program. |
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