Iraq Takes Seat At Arab League Meeting

[Dover]

Iraq Takes Seat at Arab League Meeting

Associated Press Writer
September 9, 2003, 7:52 AM EDT

CAIRO, Egypt -- Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari took his country's seat at the Arab League on Tuesday, settling a dispute in the pan-Arab body over whether to recognize a government set up by Iraq's U.S. occupiers. Wearing a black suit, Zebari, an Iraqi Kurd, sat down at the league's circular table behind little Iraqi flag, becoming Iraq's first envoy to the league since Saddam Hussein was overthrown in April. He smiled as a bevy of photographers took his picture.

"The new Iraq will be different from that of Saddam Hussein," Zebari said in his first remarks to the meeting. "The new Iraq will be based on diversity, democracy, constitution, law and respect for human rights.

"The new Iraq will stand firm against terrorism, from which it is now suffering," Zebari added, referring to the series of car-bombings and shootings that have killed more than 100 civilians in recent weeks.

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Iraqis generally welcomed the Arab League recognition, but many said they felt it had been granted under U.S. pressure.

"The positive stand was imposed on them by America and its hegemony. They must have had a telephone call directing them to agree," said Ibrahim Hammadi Suud, a clan chief from Fallujah, 40 miles west of Baghdad. Others believed the league acted in the interest of all Arabs. "I believe, the Arab League today behaved wisely. If they opposed Iraq's participation they could have pushed this Arab country to throw itself in the lap of colonialism, America and Israel," salesman Bassam Abdul-Razzaq said...>> MORE

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