Turkish and Arab diplomats have stressed that the delegates will not call
for Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to step down and go into exile as a way of
avoiding war.
"Such issues are not on our agenda," Yakis said. 'We do not consider it
appropriate for a state to develop such scenarios for another state.'Turkey
fear that a war would destabilize the region and harm the country's fragile
economic recovery. Polls show that more than 80 percent of the Turkish
public opposes a war
January 23, 2003, 1:46 AM EST
ISTANBUL, Turkey -- With U.S. forces building in the Gulf, Iraq's neighbors
prepared to meet Thursday to discuss ways to avert a war and likely urge
Baghdad to cooperate more with U.N. arms inspectors.
Turkey, anxious to demonstrate to its public that it is doing all it can to
avoid a conflict, was to host the foreign ministers of Iraq's neighbors --
Iran, Syria and Jordan -- as well as Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
"I don't agree with the assumption that there will definitely be a war,"
Turkish Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis said in a newspaper interview. "Peace
could still be salvaged. War could still be prevented."
To achieve peace, Iraq had to be more "proactive" with U.N. weapons
inspectors, he said, adding that Baghdad could guide them to weapons sites
in an effort to show that Iraq is not a threat.
Turkish and Arab diplomats have stressed that the delegates will not call
for Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to step down and go into exile as a way of
avoiding war.
"Such issues are not on our agenda," Yakis said. "We do not consider it
appropriate for a state to develop such scenarios for another state."
The ministers will gather at a former Ottoman palace on the banks of the
Bosporus.
But Iraqi opposition leaders said any solution short of Saddam's removal
was unacceptable.
"If the regional countries are able to persuade him to disarm and comply
with the U.N. resolution, that's fine. But it's also Saddam's oppression
that we are concerned about," said Hamid el-Bayati, of the Supreme Council
of Islamic Revolution in Iraq in a telephone interview from London.
He said Saddam's exile may be on the table even if the participating
countries deny it.
"We know that some Arab countries raised the issue with Saddam himself,"
said el-Bayati. He said the subject was first raised by Qatar's foreign
minister in a recent meeting with the Iraqi leader where Saudi officials
were also present.
Sharif Ali, another Iraqi opposition leader based in London, said Saddam's
possession of weapons of mass destruction was not the only point of
contention with the Iraqi people, but also his oppressive rule.
He said the Iraqi opposition would reluctantly accept a solution whereby
Saddam goes into exile without fear of prosecution -- "to avoid bloodshed."
A regional meeting, four days ahead of a deadline when U.N. inspectors
report to the Security Council on Iraq's cooperation, reflects the deep
reticence in the region to support a U.S.-led war.
Turkey fear that a war would destabilize the region and harm the country's
fragile economic recovery. Polls show that more than 80 percent of the
Turkish public opposes a war.
The United States is asking to base tens of thousands of soldiers in Turkey
to open a northern front against Iraq. Turkish leaders have been hesitant
to approve any deployment and have suggested that the United States scale
back its request. The NATO military commander, U.S. Marine Corps Gen. James
Jones, is expected in Turkey on Friday.
Meanwhile, Iranian President Mohammad Khatami said Wednesday that he was
skeptical that the Security Council would easily endorse a resolution for a
military attack against Iraq, but said the Baghdad government "has to give
in to international regulations."
Ministers at the Thursday meeting are expected to adopt a joint statement
that would call on Iraq to fully cooperate with the inspectors.
The meeting is expected to be followed by another regional gathering in
Damascus, Turkish diplomats said. No date has been set for that meeting.
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