DATE=9/12/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=ARAB LEAGUE (S&L)
NUMBER=2-253765
BYLINE=LISA BRYANT
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The Arab League Foreign Ministers' meeting
opened (Sunday) in Cairo with calls for unity and for
healing divisions among Arab countries. These appeals
may be put to the test during the two-day meeting, the
first to be chaired by Iraq since the Persian Gulf
war. From Cairo, Lisa Bryant reports.
TEXT: Iraq set the tone, as Foreign Minister Saed al
Sahaf told Arab League members they must build
solidarity and enhance national security among Arab
countries. In what was for him a restrained speech to
Arab foreign ministers, Mr. Sahaf described new
threats facing the bloc -- particularly, he said, from
America's growing influence in the region.
Mr. Sahaf said Arab countries must adopt unified
responses to these threats, and he called for an Arab
summit or a high-level meeting to discuss them.
The Iraqi Foreign Minister once again condemned
ongoing U-S and British air strikes over Iraqi no-fly
zones. He said it was time for the United Nations to
lift sanctions on his country.
//REST OPT FOR LONG//
Mr. Sahaf pointedly did not ask for Arab League
members to strongly criticize the strikes. During the
last League meeting in January, when Arab League
members refused to issue such a condemnation, Mr.
Sahaf stormed out of the meeting.
Iraq's chairmanship of the Arab League this year has
already fueled speculation and tension, particularly
among Persian Gulf countries. But one Iraqi delegate,
Mohammed Ali, said initial responses to his country's
stewardship have been positive.
// ALI ACT //
We hope that such meetings will continue to
solve our problems in Arab countries, because we
are all Arab brothers -- although there are
problems between us created by some
circumstances. But we hope that all these
problems will be ended very soon.
// END ACT //
The Arab foreign ministers are expected to tackle
issues that tend to surface at most of their twice-a-
year meetings. These include concern over Turkish-
Israeli relations and Israeli nuclear weapons.
Ministers may also raise the possibility of
establishing an Arab court of justice.
In his speech, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat
discussed the recent peace pact signed between the
Israelis and Palestinians. Mr. Arafat stressed the
importance of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as
its capital.
New on the agenda, according to an Arab League
official familiar with the discussions, is a Libyan
proposal to treat national boundaries and airspace as
Arab territory. That would mean that an embargo or
flight ban on one country would be treated as a ban on
all. Libya -- which only recently emerged from a long
flight ban and partial embargo -- also wants Arab
countries to establish a regional airline. (SIGNED)
NEB/LB/DW/RAE
12-Sep-1999 11:32 AM LOC (12-Sep-1999 1532 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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