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Topic: Egypt will never accept U.S. charges against Iran

topic by John Calvin 2/18/2002 (20:16)

reply top thr 063 Iran-Egypt-Parliaments /POL/  Majlis vice speaker meets speaker of Egypt's People's Assembly Tehran, Feb 18, IRNA -- Majlis First Vice Speaker Mohammad-Reza Khatami and the Speaker of Egyptian People's Assembly Ahmed Fathy Sorour in a meeting in Athens Monday discussed mutual cooperation, ways to promote parliamentary ties and the prospects to broaden Tehran-Cairo bonds. Khatami and Sorour who were meeting on the sidelines of a conference themed 'Parliamentary Talks Among Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations' also exchanged views on several regional developments, including the issue of the occupied territories. Khatami pointed out to the massacre of Palestinians by the racist Zionist regime as a most serious problem the Muslim world is currently facing. He said the Muslim countries need to cooperate and adopt close stances regarding the atrocities of the Zionist regime as the best help for the Palestinian nation. Khatami voiced Iran's support for the legitimate right of Palestinians to set up an independent government with Al-Qods as its capital. He said detente and confidence-building constitute the cornerstones of President Khatami's foreign policies, and stressed the contribution of these policies to a significant progress in relations with European Union (EU) and the countries of the South. Majlis vice-speaker hoped Tehran-Cairo relations would be further upgraded in line with same policies. Sorour, for his part, described Tehran and Cairo as two major regional powers, and pointed out to several common elements between the two nations as a ground to boost mutual bonds. He pointed out to the recent regional developments, and appreciated Iran's stances regarding the issue of terrorism and the rights of the Palestinian nation. Sorour said Egypt is totally against any terrorism charges against Iran stressing that Cairo will never accept such charges. Egypt's parliament speaker called mutual parliamentary relations as good, and expressed hope that Tehran-Cairo ties would be further expanded by removing the obstacles slowing down the development of mutual bonds. AA/AH End ::irna 19:09

reply by John Calvin 2/18/2002 (20:19)

reply top Egypt urges rethink of sanctions against Iraq REUTERS [ MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2002 8:15:22 AM ] AIRO: Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said on Sunday it was time to reconsider UN sanctions against Iraq, a Middle East News Agency report said. 'Now it is time to reassess the sanctions imposed on Iraq,' the official Egyptian news agency quoted Maher as saying at a meeting with the Egyptian Businessmen's Association. Iraq also should abide by international resolutions and take measures to assure its neighbours that it would not repeat what took place in 1990, Maher added, referring to Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait. Maher repeated Egypt's rejection of any potential military strike against Iraq, saying Egypt and other Arab countries were holding contacts to make clear the danger of such a move, especially after Iraq expressed readiness to comply with UN resolutions. 'We hope such a spirit will continue so that Iraq can avoid further suffering,' he was quoted as saying. There has been widespread speculation that Iraq could be the next target of the war on terrorism after the US-led campaign that toppled Afghanistan's Taliban protectors of Osama Bin Laden, main suspect for the attacks on New York and Washington. Relations between Egypt and Iraq, strained in the aftermath of the 1990-91 Gulf crisis, have recently shown signs of improving. Trade, under the oil-for-food deal between Baghdad and the United Nations, has also blossomed. The deal allows Iraq to export unlimited quantities of oil over six months to buy food, medicine and other humanitarian needs for the Iraqi people, reeling under the impact of the sanctions.

reply by John Calvin 2/18/2002 (20:24)

reply top Syria Opposes Any Military Action Against Iraq: Assad -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Xinhuanet 2002-02-18 05:32:10 DAMASCUS, February 17 (Xinhuanet) -- Syrian President Bashar Al- Assad has said his country is opposed to any military action against Iraq, warning that any attacks against Iraq would cause large-scale unimaginable unrest. Assad made the remark during an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera, the Syrian-Arab News Agency reported on Sunday. 'It is normal for us to sympathize with Iraq and oppose any military action against the Iraqi people,' Assad stressed. 'If Iraq was attacked, a reaction from the Arab world will develop and have long-run results,' he warned, adding 'It is not in the interest of the United States to create instabilities worldwide since it may be forced to pay for that in the future.' In his State of the Union address on January 19, U.S. President George W. Bush termed Iraq, Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea as an 'axis of evil.' He accused the three countries of seeking to possess weapons of mass destruction and posing threats to the United States. The remarks invoked widespread worries about the possibility that the United States might expand unilaterally the scope of anti- terror war and launch a direct military action against the three countries, particularly Iraq. Asked about the possibility of reviving the Middle East peace process, the Syrian president said 'We are ready for peace as a principle, regardless of who is at the helm in Israel.' 'There will never be peace without the restoration of full Arab rights,' he stressed, noting that the peace talks are 'a means rather than an end.' 'We do not want to waste time in futile things as (Israeli prime minister) Ariel Sharon is opposed to peace by nature,' Assad said, noting that 'this is a stated fact rather than an assumption.' 'The peace process in the region has been a complete failure so far,' he regretted. 'Syria sets no precondition for the resumption of the peace process except for the implementation of the relevant U.N. resolutions and the references of Madrid Peace Conference. In other words, our conditions are the same as those of the international community,' Assad stressed. On the world campaign against terrorism, the Syrian leader said that terrorism recognizes neither border nor religion, nor nationality. Syria supports the anti-terrorism war, but it does not support the current war which 'breads extremism and creates the favorable conditions for developing extremism,' he added. Assad expressed his belief that the war against terrorism should be an ideological, rather than military one. The best way to combat terrorism is to support moderate trends in the world, he said. Enditem