Iraq's tone conciliatory on eve of Gulf War anniversary

By Rym Brahimi
CNN Producer

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Nearly 11 years after the beginning of the Gulf War, Iraq is calling for reconciliation with its Arab neighbors.

"It is time we reconsidered our inter-Arab relations, whether good, normal or bad," said the editorial Wednesday in the ruling Baath party's newspaper, Al-Thawra. "It is time we folded the page of the past and opened a new page, which Iraq has always endeavored to open out of concern for the nation's present and future to face the difficult challenges and grave dangers."

Such conciliatory language is unusual for this time of year, with the commemoration of the Gulf War approaching. But it also follows the direction in which the Iraqi leadership, under increasing pressure from the threat of a U.S. attack, has been steering its own rhetoric.

The editorial cautioned, however, that Iraq's main concern was not itself, but "the pains of our people in Palestine."

"We do not call for a revision of inter-Arab relations out of concern over Iraq or because we feel that its position is weak," it said. "On the contrary, past years have seen Iraq's potential to stand firm, resist and score victories in various chapters of battle."

In a broadcast message last month, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein called for an Arab summit to be held in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Since then, the official language in Iraq has revealed what seems to be a strong push by Baghdad to end the isolation that followed Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait, and secure regional backing in case Washington decides to attack Iraq.

"The enemies have exploited inter-Arab differences and worked to rekindle them," said Al-Thawra. "They sought to curtail Iraq's pan-Arab role."

Most Arab countries have resumed ties with Iraq, and many have trade agreements with the country. But relations with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are still frozen, despite recent attempts by Iraq to reach out to its neighbors.

Since the beginning of the year, both Hussein himself and Iraq's foreign minister have called on those two countries to close ranks and engage in more Arab solidarity.

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are in a strategic geographic position that makes their support crucial to anyone who would want to attack Iraq.

U.S. officials say they haven't decided whether they will attack Iraq as part of the U.S.-led war against terror, though many say they view the Iraqi regime as a threat to be dealt with.

Operation Desert Storm was launched January 16, 1991.