- CAIRO (Reuters) - Arab League
chief Amr Moussa said Thursday a strike against Iraq would "open the
gates of hell" in the Middle East, and urged Baghdad to readmit weapons
inspectors in coordination with the United Nations.
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- The White House said Thursday President Bush believed
there was enough evidence to justify ousting Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
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- Bush has said he will ask Congress to back possible military
action against Iraq and will outline the threat posed by its arms program
at the United Nations this month.
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- Resolutions issued by the foreign ministers from 20 Arab
states called for a "complete rejection of threats of aggression against
some Arab countries, in particular Iraq."
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- The brief statement did not specifically refer to weapons
inspectors, but Moussa said the ministers had agreed they must be allowed
back as part of an overall solution to the crisis.
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- "We will continue to work to avoid a military confrontation
or a military action because we believe that it will open the gates of
hell in the Middle East," Moussa told reporters at the end of the
two-day meeting.
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- "When it comes to the issue of Iraq, yes indeed,
we again reiterate the importance of the full implementation of Security
Council resolutions. We are for the return of the inspectors within an
agreement, an understanding, between the government of Iraq and the secretary-general
of the United Nations," he said.
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- The United States says it has not decided whether or
not to use force to oust Saddam, whom Washington accuses of developing
weapons of mass destruction. Iraq denies the charge.
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- Many countries insist that Iraq should be given a chance
to readmit weapons inspectors before any strike is considered.
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- DIPLOMACY FIRST
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- Moussa said Arab states were seeking a diplomatic solution
and had already helped bring Iraqi and U.N. officials together.
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- The ministerial resolutions on Iraq also called for lifting
U.N. sanctions, an "interlinked and scheduled implementation of all
the requirements of the Security Council resolutions," and a Middle
East free of weapons of mass destruction.
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- Speaking to reporters on his way out, Iraqi Foreign Minister
Naji Sabri accused Israel of possessing weapons of mass destruction, including
nuclear and other weapons.
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- Moussa accused the world community of double standards,
complaining that while it insisted Iraq obey U.N. resolutions, it failed
to measure Israel by the same yardstick concerning its occupation of Palestinian
territory.
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- "When it comes to the implementation of Security
Council resolutions, we wonder why should we insist only on Iraq to implement
Security Council resolutions. Although this is correct. We should call
on Iraq to implement Security Council resolutions, but what about Israel?"
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- Asked about reports that U.S. troops might use Qatar
as a staging post against Iraq, Moussa said: "The Qatari foreign minister
completely denied these reports. We have to believe the officials, though
if it were true it would be disturbing."
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- Qatari Foreign Minister Hamad bin Jassim left the talks
after Wednesday's opening session for an appointment in Geneva.
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