DATE=12/4/97
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-38297
TITLE=YEARENDER: IRAQ / U-N / ARABS '97
BYLINE=DOUGLAS ROBERTS
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
///// MAY BE USED WITH JOHANSON OR OTHER IRAQ YEARENDERS. //////
INTRO: THROUGHOUT ITS CONFRONTATION WITH THE U-N SECURITY
COUNCIL, IRAQ SOUGHT TO RALLY SUPPORT FROM OTHER ARAB STATES.
MIDDLE EAST CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS ROBERTS REPORTS ON BAGHDAD'S
ATTEMPTS TO RE-ENTER THE ARAB FOLD, SEVEN YEARS AFTER ITS
INVASION OF KUWAIT.
TEXT: WHILE THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT MAY HAVE FEW FRIENDS IN THE
ARAB WORLD, ARABS THROUGHOUT THE REGION WERE CLEARLY AFFECTED BY
PORTRAYALS OF THE SUFFERING OF THE IRAQI PEOPLE.
THE RISING CHILD MORTALITY RATE, THE SHORTAGES OF FOOD, MEDICINE,
AND OTHER ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES EVOKED WIDESPREAD EXPRESSIONS OF
SYMPATHY AND OUTRAGE IN ARAB CAPITALS.
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, BAGHDAD SOUGHT TO HAMMER HOME ITS MESSAGE TO
ITS ERSTWHILE ARAB ALLIES -- THE CRISIS STEMS SOLELY FROM THE
ONGOING U-N ECONOMIC SANCTIONS WHICH REMAIN IN EFFECT, IRAQ
CONTENDS, ONLY AS A RESULT OF UNITED STATES POLICY.
SOME ARAB COMMENTATORS DISPUTED BAGHDAD'S THESIS, BUT THAT DID
NOT DIMINISH THE FEELINGS OF SOLIDARITY WITH THE IRAQI PEOPLE.
SEVERAL ARAB COMMENTATORS ACCUSED THE UNITED STATES OF EMPLOYING
A DOUBLE STANDARD IN THE MIDDLE EAST -- INSISTING IRAQ ABIDE BY
THE LETTER OF ALL U-N SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS, BUT DOING
NOTHING TO COMPEL ISRAEL TO MEET ITS COMMITMENTS IN THE MIDDLE
EAST PEACE PROCESS.
THE FALTERING PEACE PROCESS WAS THE SOURCE OF CONCERN, ANXIETY,
AND ANGER IN ARAB CAPITALS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
ISRAEL'S TIES WITH ARAB STATES GREW COLDER, SEEMINGLY BY THE
HOUR, AMID MOUNTING FRUSTRATION WITH THE POLICIES OF PRIME
MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU.
ONLY JORDAN'S KING HUSSEIN SOUGHT TO MAINTAIN A PROCESS OF
NORMALIZATION WITH ISRAEL. BUT THERE WAS LITTLE ENTHUSIASM AMONG
THE JORDANIAN PEOPLE. TAHER AL-MASRI IS A FORMER PRIME MINISTER
OF JORDAN'S GOVERNMENT.
/// AL MASRI ACT ///
JORDAN CANNOT SUSTAIN THE PEACE PROCESS OR THE
PEACEFUL RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL IN THE ABSENCE OF
PROGRESS ON OTHER TRACKS AND OTHER FRONTS.
/// OPT /// AND WE FEEL THAT THIS KIND OF PEACE IS
GOING AHEAD AT ANY COST REGARDLESS OF WHAT NETANYAHU IS
DOING IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES OR ON OTHER TRACKS.
THAT SHOULD NOT BE THE CASE BECAUSE THIS IS SENDING US
AWAY FROM OUR ARAB CLIMATE AND SURROUNDINGS AND LINKING
US SOLELY WITH ISRAEL. /// END OPT ////
THIS IS NOT THE PEACE WE WANT. THIS IS NOT THE KIND
OF RELATIONS WE WANT TO BUILD INSIDE THE REGION. AND IN
ADDITION TO THAT, WHAT WE CALL THE FRUITS OR THE
DIVIDENDS OF PEACE HAVE NOT ARRIVED. AND THINGS ARE
GETTING WORSE ALL THE TIME, SOCIALLY, ECONOMICALLY, AND
DEFINITELY POLITICALLY.
/// END ACT ///
ARAB LEADERS WELCOMED SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT'S INAUGURAL
DIPLOMATIC FORAY INTO THE REGION IN SEPTEMBER. THE TRIP SPARKED
FRESH HOPES OF A BREAKTHROUGH IN THE PEACE PROCESS. BUT AS THE
WEEKS PASSED WITH THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT SHOWING NO SIGN OF A
WILLINGNESS TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT CONCESSIONS IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH
THE PALESTINIANS, ARAB HOPES AGAIN TURNED TO ANGER.
ALL BUT A HANDFUL OF ARAB STATES STAGED A BOYCOTT OF THE ANNUAL
MIDDLE EAST ECONOMIC CONFERENCE IN NOVEMBER IN PROTEST OVER
ISRAEL'S PRESENCE. IT WAS A BLOW TO THE UNITED STATES, WHICH
SPONSORS THE GATHERINGS IN AN ATTEMPT TO FOSTER MORE REGIONAL
TRADE AND ECONOMIC TIES.
THE ARAB BOYCOTT CAME AS THE CRISIS OVER U-N WEAPONS INSPECTIONS
IN IRAQ WAS REACHING ITS PEAK. SEVERAL ARAB LEADERS PUBLICLY
DECLARED THEIR OPPOSITION TO ANY U-S MILITARY ACTION AGAINST
IRAQ. IRAQ'S DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER TARIQ AZIZ WAS WELCOMED IN
SEVERAL ARAB CAPITALS FOLLOWING HIS TALKS IN RUSSIA THAT
ULTIMATELY LED TO AT LEAST A TEMPORARY SOLUTION OF THE CRISIS.
AS THE YEAR DREW TO A CLOSE, SOME ARAB LEADERS WERE SUGGESTING
THE TIME HAS COME TO FORGIVE IRAQ FOR ITS 1990 INVASION OF
KUWAIT. BUT OTHERS SAY BAGHDAD CAN BE WELCOMED BACK INTO THE
ARAB FOLD ONLY AFTER IT HAS COMPLIED WITH THE DEMANDS OF THE U-N
SECURITY COUNCIL. (SIGNED)
NEB/DBR/JWH/RAE
04-Dec-97 12:46 PM EST (1746 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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