Iraq was projected to accept the U.N. resolution to disarm, Egypt's foreign minister said early Sunday. Iraq's foreign minister said Saturday no decision had been taken but several other Arab diplomats at a meeting of the Arab League in Cairo said that in effect Iraq had already accepted the resolution, AP reported.
"I think we can expect a positive position by the Iraqis," said the Egyptian minister, Ahmed Maher. Maher added that the Iraqi acceptance would depend on the guarantees that "inspectors would act in a neutral ... and objective way, respecting strictly all the resolutions of the Security Council particularly those with regard to the respect of Iraqi sovereignty."
Maher said he hoped the resolution would avoid another war. "I think this resolution is an opening for everybody to avoid a dangerous situation and to put an end to the crisis."
"No decision has been taken," Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri told reporters at the Arab League meeting.
"The whole world knows that the approval of this resolution was a result of U.S. blackmail and pressure exerted on the Security Council members," Baghdad's satellite TV channel said. Sabri said, however, that in the long negotiations over passage the international community succeeded in diluting U.S. schemes for aggression on Iraq.
The Arabic-language MBC TV reported on Saturday that Iraq had accepted the UN resolution after getting an assurance from Syria, a member of the 15-nation UN Security Council, that it does not foresee the automatic use of force against Iraq.
"Arab foreign ministers have extended a welcome to Iraq's acceptance of the resolution," the TV quoted visiting Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal as saying. Faisal, who is in Cairo for an emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers due on Sunday, told reporters after a consultative meeting Saturday night to prepare for the emergency meeting.
Meanwhile, The New York Times reported Saturday that President Bush has approved a Pentagon plan for invading Iraq, should the new U.N. arms inspection effort fail.
Defense officials said that the plan calls for a land, sea and air force of 200,000 to 250,000 troops, at least twice the number initially considered.
In addition, Britain will this week start mobilizing an armored fighting force of 15,000 troops to participate in a land war in Iraq, The Sunday Telegraph reported.
The force will comprise up to 200 Challenger tanks. At least two squadrons - about 150 men - will also be placed on standby, the report added. The announcement of the mobilization is expected to be made public after on Wednesday, but may be delayed until next week. The forces will be instructed to make plans to move to the region - most probably to Kuwait - but they will not yet receive final orders to deploy.
In another development, in Italy, hundreds of thousands of people marched through Florence Saturday in a peaceful protest against U.S. policy in Iraq as well as globalization. Police said about 450,000 from all over Europe took part but organizers estimated the crowd at more than 800,000. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
