Arabs Advocate Diplomatic Solution to Iraqi Crisis

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, February 03, 2003

Arabs Advocate Diplomatic Solution to Iraqi Crisis

Visiting Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika said on Sunday that Arab states advocate a diplomatic solution to the Iraqi crisis.

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Visiting Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika said on Sunday that Arab states advocate a diplomatic solution to the Iraqi crisis.

"Arab states believe that it is important to give UN arms inspectors a full chance to fulfill their mission," Bouteflika told Xinhua at the end of a two-day visit to Egypt.

"The Arab world firmly opposes any military attack on Iraq,while Iraq should fully cooperate with the inspectors," he said.As for the impact of any war against Iraq on the region, he replied: "the Iraqi war will lead to instability in the region."He also rejected any attempt to change the Iraqi leadership from outside, saying any change of the Iraqi leadership is the country's internal affair, and only relates to its own people.

"In dealing with the Iraqi standoff, it is imperative for Arab countries to form a unified stance and take effective steps tomitigate the negative effect of the crisis," he said.Bouteflika arrived here Saturday afternoon and went into talks with his Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak on the volatile Mideast situation, especially the Iraqi crisis and the Palestinian-Israeliconflict.

During the talks, the two leaders stressed the need to spare the Iraqi people a military operation.

Under the UN resolution 1441, Iraq must fully account for its weapons of mass destruction or face "serious consequences."The United States has accused Iraq of constituting a "material breach" of the resolution seeking an enhanced weapons inspection regime, and threatened to disarm Iraq by force.

On Sunday, Iraq said it will make efforts to ensure a success of the chief UN inspectors, who will return to Baghdad on Feb. 8 for fresh talks on cooperation in Iraq's disarmament.

Bouteflika's visit to Egypt is part of diplomatic efforts exerted by Egypt to try to avert any war on Iraq.

Last month, Mubarak traveled to Saudi Arabia, Libya, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, and received Bahraini King Sheikh Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa in Cairo. He is also expected to visit Germany in mid-February.

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