Rula Amin: Arab League discussing Israel and Iraq sanctions

CNN correspondent Rula Amin reports from Amman, Jordan on the Arab League summit.

Q: This is the first such summit in 10 years. What prompted these leaders to convene?

AMIN: Arab leaders did meet before in 1996 and they met again in October last year. But in October it was an urgent summit to help support the Palestinian uprising and the one before it was also an urgent summit, but this is the first regular summit in ten years. And this is because the leaders say they wanted to signal a new Arab approach for more coordination, for more cooperation. They are calling it the summit of accord and agreement.

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Q: How much disagreement is there among Arab leaders when it comes to negotiating peace with Israel now that Ariel Sharon is at the helm?

AMIN: There are differences in how to deal with Mr. Sharon. Many of the Arab leaders believe Mr. Sharon doesn’t want peace. They don’t think that the man has changed. They accuse him of being responsible for the current violence, but there are different approaches on how to deal with him. You’ll have countries like Sudan and Iraq who are calling for a holy war. Other countries like Syria are calling for the activation of Arab boycotts against Israel. And there are other countries like Jordan and Egypt who have signed peace accords with Israel who are saying maybe we should give the man a chance. They say we have to wait and be more patient and see what he has to offer.

Q: What other issues are on the summit agenda?

AMIN: On the summit agenda there are a number of issues such as more economic cooperation and lifting the economic sanctions on Sudan. But the most prominent issue is Iraq and the ten-year old sanctions on Iraq. Many of the leaders of countries represented here believe it’s fine to lift the UN sanctions, but Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait think they cannot support such a call before Iraq responds and fulfills certain conditions, including pledges that it will not reoccupy Kuwait and that it will not threaten its neighbors.

Now they all, of course, agree that they sympathize with the suffering of the Iraqi people, and they think that the international community should re-think its position on the sanctions against Iraq and how effective it has been-- including countries like Kuwait.

Q: What resolutions or action items are expected to result from this meeting?

AMIN: Regarding Israel there is a communiqué that’s going to come out at the end of the summit, and there is a draft communiqué that contains a strong condemnation for Israel. The leaders here are blaming Israel for the violence and they are condemning what they view as Israel’s aggression. There is a call on the United Nations Security Council to provide international protection for the Palestinians. There are pledges from Arab leaders to help the Palestinians financially and to support them with money.

On the issue of Iraq, there is some kind of compromise expected at the end of these two days of discussions which will be addressed-- an agreement that would call for a lifting of sanctions, but it would be a diluted call. There might also be a call on all Arab countries, of course which implies it is a call on Iraq, to comply with UN resolutions and to respect the sovereignty of its neighbors.

Q: Have you noted anything of particular interest there at the scene in Amman Jordan?

AMIN: Jordanian security is on very highly alert. There is heavy security presence around the Meridian Hotel where the leaders are staying and meeting. There is a heavy presence; many of the capitol’s main roads have been blocked, and Jordanians are saying they will do everything possible to make sure things go smoothly.

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