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Reuters. 28 January 2002. Arabs to Tell U.S. Its Interests at Risk - Paper; Hardening U.S. Mideast Position Dangerous - Sweden; China Tells Iraq Opposed to Widening War on Terror. RIYADH, STOCKHOLM and BEIJING -- Arab states plan to send a strongly worded message to the United States that its interests in the Arab world are at risk if it does not stop Israeli attacks on Palestinians, a Saudi newspaper reported on Monday. The Arabic-language al-Watan quoted what it described as a high-ranking Jordanian source as saying that King Abdullah, now visiting Saudi Arabia, will carry the message to President Bush when he visits Washington this week. "It will be an Arab message, particularly a Saudi one, that U.S. interests and relations with the Arab states will be in danger if Washington did not try to end Israel's terrorist policy in the region,'' the paper quoted the Jordanian source as saying. It said that in their talks in Riyadh, the Jordanian and Saudi leaders agreed on the need to exert joint efforts to "end the suffering of the Palestinian people and lift a siege imposed by Israel on Palestinian President Yasser Arafat.'' King Abdullah, who arrived in Saudi Arabia on Sunday for a two-day visit, is scheduled to meet President Bush on Friday. The Bush administration has been taking an increasingly tough line against Arafat in recent days, drawing praise from Israel and a call for U.S. sanctions against the Palestinian leadership. Washington has suspended a cease-fire mission to the Middle East by its envoy Anthony Zinni. The retired Marine Corps general ended his second trip to the region two weeks ago. Bush has said he was "very disappointed" with Arafat for not doing enough to rein in militants behind the attacks on Israel. Jordanian Foreign Minister Marwan al-Muasher said on Sunday that King Abdullah plans to explain to Bush "the danger of talking about suspending the peace process or contacts with the Palestinian Authority.'' Meanwhile, the U.S. administration's hardening position toward Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is very dangerous, Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh said on Monday. "I am very worried about this American debate," she said on Swedish public service radio news. "I think this discussion about equating Arafat with terrorists is both inappropriate and stupid. It is a very dangerous policy." Commenting on plans aired by some in the U.S. administration to close the Palestinian representation in Washington, for the United States to cease mediation efforts and to classify Arafat's security forces as terrorists, Lindh said: "This is just insane. It contradicts the entire peace process... and can only lead to outright war in the Middle East." Also, Chinese Vice Premier Qian Qichen told Iraqi counterpart Tareq Aziz on Monday China does not support the expansion of military action in the war on terrorism, the official Xinhua news agency reported. Qian's comment marked an apparent shift from previous Chinese statements which said Beijing was opposed to the "wanton" expansion of military action in the war on terrorism. "China does not support the expansion of anti-terror military action," Xinhua quoted Qian as saying. Qian said China "sympathized deeply with the Iraqi suffering caused by the long standing sanctions," Xinhua said. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barry Stoller http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ProletarianNews --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9WB2D Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
