Excerpts: Jordan's King Abdullah on the Middle East.Assistance from Iraq's
neighbors vague.US alert on Bahrain. Kuwait on Saddam
4 July 2004
+++JORDAN TIMES 4 July '04
"Core root of all problems in the Middle East is the Israeli-Palestinian
one - King"
[IMRA: Also, vague statement on assistance for Iraq.]
HEADING:"Following is ... King Abdullah's interview with BBC Newsnight's
Gavin Esler on Thursday 1 July '04"
QUOTES FROM TEXT:
"I presume if the Iraqis ask us for help directly, it will be very
difficult for us to say no."
"If there is something that we can provide -- a service to the future of
Iraqis, then we will definitely study that proposal."
"I see Iraq, although its difficult for maybe people in Britain or the
United States to see it this way, as a sideshow."
"They look at Iraq and they're very suspicious and they feel that this is
just another extent of occupation."
"make sure there's pressure put on the Israelis and the Palestinians,
and Arabs also, to move the process forward through the ... roadmap"
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EXCERPTS:
Esler: ... how concerned are you ... about the security situation in your
neighbouring country?
King Abdullah: The security situation will continue to be a major problem
.... I feel somewhat optimistic that we have strong, courageous leaders in
Iraq. ... But the challenges that face them on security are going to be
their major problem. They're going to need everybody's help.
Esler: ... if these ... people came to you and said your brother Arabs need
help, can Jordan foresee a situation in which you would be prepared to
commit troops to help...?
King Abdullah:... I presume if the Iraqis ask us for help directly, it will
be very difficult for us to say no. Our message to the president and to the
prime minister is tell us what you want, tell us how we can help and you
have 110 per cent support from us. If we don't stand with them, if they
fail, then we will pay the price.
Esler: ... it's the first time I've heard a leader of an Arab country say
it in such terms. You've got the qualification about not wishing to upset
anyone's feelings, but it may be then possible that troops from Arab
countries might go to Iraq?
King Abdullah: I would presume so. Again this is an Iraqi decision and this
has not been discussed with the Iraqis. Again I would feel that we're not
the right people... if there's something that we can provide - a service to
the future of Iraqis, then we will definitely study that proposal.
[IMRA: Fast reversal.]
Esler: Saddam Hussein appears in court today, what do you think should
happen to him? He could face the death penalty in Iraq. ...
King Abdullah: This is one of many first tests for a new Iraq. Obviously
there's going to be a lot of attention of how Iraqi justice will be carried
out. I just hope that as it's a showcase trial to an extent, and the first
major issue that Iraqis are going to have to deal with, that's the old Iraq,
I hope it will be done through the rule of law and be just and fair.
Esler: So if it were to come to the death penalty then that's a matter for
Iraqis?
King Abdullah: ...it's what their constitution and what their laws say.
What we want ...is ... to see that it's done in a fair process.
Esler: You must be disappointed that despite all the talk ... about using
Iraq as perhaps a springboard to bring greater peace in the Middle East,
solving once and for all the Israeli-Palestinian problem, that has not
happened and is nowhere near to happening?
King Abdullah: Maybe the lack of international understanding is that the
core root of all problems in the Middle East is the Israeli-Palestinian one.
I see Iraq, although it's difficult for maybe people in Britain or the
United States to see it this way, as a sideshow. The main problem that feeds
on all the instabilities that we see in the Middle East is the
Israeli-Palestinian problem. Until you solve that, then we will never have
the type of stability that the Middle East hopes for.
Esler: I talked to a lot of Jordanians last year ... and I didn't meet a
single one who had any faith in George Bush as an honest broker ... , or who
had any faith in the Americans at all. How difficult does it make your
position as a good friend of the United States in a region where that's a
dangerous thing to be?
King Abdullah: It does make it difficult ...visuals... on television where
you see Israeli tanks, some of them American made, in front of Palestinians,
and American tanks in front of Iraqis, those perceptions whether it's
newspapers or television, make it more and more difficult for a lot of our
Western friends to say that we're there to bring good ..., because people
don't see the movement on the Israeli-Palestinian issue. They look at Iraq
and they're very suspicious and they feel this is just another extent of
occupation.
Esler: We know we're going down the road of the Sharon plan, .... Is there
anything that the Americans could do now differently that would ease the
situation ... for Arabs?
King Abdullah: I think everybody knows what needs to be done. We have an
American president, a first American president, to articulate a viable
independent Palestinian state. He gave a time line of 2005, maybe not
realistic but at least to keep people focused, and a mechanism of how to get
there, which is the roadmap. ...we all know what needs to be done. What we
need to be able to do is make sure there's pressure put on the Israelis and
the Palestinians, and Arabs also, to move the process forward through ...
the roadmap,
[IMRA: Significant change from limiting pressure.]
to get to a two-state solution. So if you ask what can the Americans do or
what can all of us do - move the process along, and all of us know to minute
detail what it is, the roadmap.
+++ARAB NEWS (Saudi) 4 July '04:
"Neighboring Countries' Troops Could Protect UN Missions:Iraq" by Agence
France Presse -
QUOTES FROM TEXT:
"Neighboring countries who wish to send peacekeeping troops to Iraq
could guard United Nations missions and personnel"
"Jordan was among the first Arab countries to offer to contribute troops
and assistance to Iraq. There was no immediate word on Egypt's and the UAE's
apparent offers."
"Jordan's foreign minister Marwan Moasher downpayed the remarks on
Friday, saying they were a gesture of support."
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EXCERPTS:
BAGHDAD, 4 July 2004 - Neighboring countries who wish to send peacekeeping
troops to Iraq could guard United Nations missions and personnel, Foreign
Minister Hoshyar Zebari said yesterday, in an apparent change of heart.
. . .
"As a general policy we're opposed to such participation," said Zebari,
adding that other Arab and Muslim countries could take part. "In principle,
we welcome the participation of Arab and Islamic forces coming from
non-neighboring countries."
The office of Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, who had previously said Iraq did
not want peace-keeping soldiers from neighboring countries, thanked Egypt,
Jordan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for their offers to train security
forces.
"Dr. Allawi expresses gratitude to Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak, Jordan's
King Abdallah and the UAE's Sheikh Zayed for their immediate and brotherly
offer to help Iraqi armed and security forces with equipment, training and
technical assistance during this dangerous moment in the country's history,"
his office said in a statement.
Jordan was among the first Arab countries to offer to contribute troops and
assistance to Iraq. There was no immediate word on Egypt's and the UAE's
apparent offers.
Bahrain's King Hamad said yesterday his country was ready to participate in
a naval force to secure Iraq's territorial waters should Baghdad request its
help, while Yemen said its earlier offer to contribute to a stabilization
force was conditional on a prior withdrawal by the US-led military forces.
Deputy Foreign Minister Hamid Al-Bayati indicated Friday the country would
most probably turn down a fresh offer of troops from neighboring Jordan.
King Abdallah told the BBC on Thursday: "If the Iraqis ask us for help
directly it will be very difficult for us to say no."
Jordanian Foreign Minister Marwan Moasher downplayed the remarks on Friday,
saying they were a gesture of support to Iraq after it regained its
sovereignty on Monday. Jordan has helped train hundreds of officers for Iraq
's new army and thousands of police recruits for the new Iraqi police.
+++ARAB NEWS (Saudi) 3 July '04:"US Urges Its Citizens to Leave Bahrain for
Security Reasons"
Mazen Mahdi, Arab News
QUOTE FROM TEXT:
"US has urged its citizens in BAhrain to consider leaving after receiving
'credible' information about planned attacks on US and Western targets in
teh country, home to the US Navy Fifth Fleet. us AND wESTERN TARGETS IN THE
COUNTRY, HOME TO THE us nAVY 5FTH FLEET."
MANAMA, 3 July 2004 - The United States has urged its citizens in Bahrain to
consider leaving after receiving "credible" information about planned
attacks on US and Western targets in the country, home to the US Navy Fifth
Fleet. But Bahraini officials downplayed the travel warning.
A top Bahraini Foreign Ministry official said that they were not expecting
any terrorist attacks.
"This is only a anticipatory warning based on information the US government
had received," he said.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs sources said that the US government had informed
Bahrain of its intention to issue the warning prior to its release on
Thursday.
The US Embassy has canceled a reception slated for July 4 at the Gulf Hotel
for security reasons, while officials at the Naval Support Activity (NSA)
said that plans for Independence Day remain intact.
"The State Department warns US citizens to defer travel to Bahrain. American
citizens currently in Bahrain are urged to consider departing," the
statement said.
"The State Department has received information that extremists are planning
attacks against US and other Western interests in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Credible information indicates that extremists remain at large and are
planning attacks in Bahrain"
A spokeswoman for the US Embassy said that no further details were available
regarding the warning and advised US citizens to check the websites of the
embassy (http://www.usembassy.gov) and State Department
(http://travel.state.gov) for further updates.
She added that US citizens who travel to, or remain in Bahrain despite the
travel warning should register at the embassy and enroll in the warden
system (emergency alert network) to obtain updated information on travel and
security in Bahrain.
Commander James Graybeal from the NSA said that the 5th Fleet Command was
continuously reviewing the security measures to ensure the safety of US
servicemen and their families.
"There has been no decision to send the families of the servicemen back home
at this time but it remains as one of the options we are discussing to
ensure the safety of the servicemen and their families," he said.
+++ARAB NEWS (Saudi) 3 July '04 :
"Kuwaitis Furiious Over Saddam''s Courtroom Insults" by Haitham Haddadin,
Reuters -
QUOTE FROM TEXT:
" 'The Iraqi soldiers went to defend the honor of Iraq, so what right
do these (Kuwaiti) dogs have?' "
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EXCERPTS:
KUWAIT, 3 July 2004 - Kuwait exploded in fury yesterday after deposed Iraqi
leader Saddam Hussein described its citizens as "dogs" and claimed in a
courtroom statement that the tiny Gulf state invaded by his forces in 1990
was part of Iraq.
. . .
"Let him say what he wants; his fate is known ... his fate is with the
dogs," said Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, repeating
demands that Saddam be sentenced to death for the 1990-91 occupation of
Kuwait.
"This is a historic day. I congratulate the Iraqi people," parliamentarian
Khaled Al-Adwa said of Saddam's appearance before an Iraqi court. Ordinary
Kuwaitis voiced similar views.
. . .
Saddam refused to recognize he was guilty of a crime in invading Kuwait,
saying: "I'm surprised you're charging me with that as an Iraqi when
everyone knows that Kuwait is part of Iraq."
He also told the judge: "The Iraqi soldiers went to defend the honor of
Iraq, so what right do these (Kuwaiti) dogs have?"
. . .
Kuwait University professor Hamed Al-Abdullah said Saddam had no right to
make such remarks as Kuwait supported him ... during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq
war. Iraq owes Kuwait up to $18 billion given during that war. "...
Dr. Joseph Lerner, Co-Director IMRA
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