DATE=1/23/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244567
TITLE=ARAB LEAGUE/PREVIEW (L)
BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
(EDS: ACTUALITIES OF THE IRAQI, SYRIAN AND YEMENI FOREIGN
MINISTERS ARE BEING FED TO AUDIO SERVICES. SOME LANGUAGE
SERVICES MAY WANT TO INSERT THE YEMEMI OFFICIAL'S ACTUALITY
BEFORE THE FINAL GRAF OF THE PIECE.)
INTRO: ARAB FOREIGN MINISTERS ARE ARRIVING IN EGYPT AND HAVE
BEGUN DISCUSSING THE IRAQI CRISIS IN PREPARATION FOR A MEETING
SUNDAY OF FOREIGN MINISTERS AT THE ARAB LEAGUE. V-O-A MIDDLE
EAST CORRESPONDENT SCOTT BOBB REPORTS FROM CAIRO THAT IRAQ'S
FOREIGN MINISTER IS CALLING FOR A STRONG ARAB POSITION ON THE
CRISIS.
TEXT: IRAQ'S FOREIGN MINISTER, MOHAMMED SAEED AL SAHAF, MET
SATURDAY WITH ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY-GENERAL ESMAT ABDEL-MEGUID
AND INDICATED HIS GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO CONTINUE TO PRESS THE
HARDLINE STANCE THAT HAS MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR ARAB STATES TO
UNITE ON A POSITION ON THE IRAQI CRISIS.
////AL-SAHAAF ACT (ARABIC) AND FADE///
THE IRAQI OFFICIAL SAID HE HOPES ARAB FOREIGN MINISTERS WILL
CONDEMN THE U-S AND BRITISH AIR ATTACKS. HE ADDED HE HOPES THE
ARAB LEADERS WILL ADOPT A POSITION TO LIFT THE EMBARGO ON IRAQ,
WHICH HE SAID HAS BEEN UNJUSTLY APPLIED FOR EIGHT YEARS, AND THAT
THEY WILL BACK IRAQ IN ITS DISPUTE WITH THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL.
IRAQI OFFICIALS THIS PAST WEEK INDICATED IRAQ WILL REJECT
ANYTHING LESS THAN A COMPLETE, UNCONDITIONAL END TO THE SANCTIONS
AND A STRONG CONDEMNATION OF LAST MONTH'S AIR ATTACKS.
THIS POLICY HAS PUT MANY MODERATE ARAB GOVERNMENTS AND U-S ALLIES
IN THE MIDDLE EAST IN AN AWKWARD POSITION. THEY ARE UNDER
POPULAR PRESSURE TO FORGE A COMMON ARAB RESPONSE TO THE IRAQI
CRISIS, BUT ARE RELUCTANT TO CONDEMN INTERNATIONAL ACTIONS, WHICH
MANY OF THEM HAVE SUPPORTED.
THESE DIFFERENCE HAVE LED TO SPECULATION THAT THE FOREIGN
MINISTERS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DRAFT A SUBSTANTIVE COMMON POSITION
AND WILL NOT FIND THE COMMON GROUND NECESSARY TO CONVENE AN ARAB
SUMMIT. /// OPT /// THE LAST SUMMIT WAS HELD NEARLY THREE YEARS
AGO, FOLLOWING ELECTION OF ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENYAMIN
NETANYAHU. /// END OPT ///
/// OPT /// SYRIA'S FOREIGN MINISTER, FAROUQ AL-SHARAA, WHO HAS
PLAYED A LARGE ROLE IN PREPARING SUNDAY'S MEETING, TOLD REPORTERS
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL ARAB STATES TO ADDRESS
WHAT HE CALLED THE DANGEROUS DEVELOPMENTS IN THE ARAB WORLD.
///AL-SHARAA ACT. (ARABIC) FADE///
THE SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SAID DELEGATES MUST MAKE SURE
SUNDAY'S MEETING IS A SUCCESS, IN ORDER TO PROHIBIT MILITARY
ACTIVITY SUCH AS EXPERIENCED BY IRAQ AND TO LIFT THE TRADE
EMBARGO ON IRAQ.
YEMEN'S FOREIGN MINISTER, ABDELKADER AL-BAJAMAL, ALSO MET
SATURDAY WITH THE ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY AND FOLLOWING HIS
MEETING, EXPRESSED OPTIMISM OVER THE UPCOMING MEETING. /// END
OPT ///
THE MEETING IS DUE TO OPEN MID-DAY SUNDAY WITH SPEECHES BY THE
SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTER AND THE ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY-GENERAL.
DELEGATES SUBSEQUENTLY ARE TO MOVE INTO CLOSED SESSION TO HAMMER
OUT (DRAFT) THEIR JOINT STATEMENT. (SIGNED)
NEB/SB/DW/GE
23-Jan-99 1:19 PM EST (1819 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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