May 21, 2004

THE CROWN PRINCE CALLS AT THE CABINET MEETING FOR IMPOSING SANCTIONS ON ISRAEL BECAUSE OF ITS AGGRESSIONS AGAINST THE PALESTINIANS. PRESIDENT BASHAR AL-ASSAD: SYRIA WILL CONTINUE ITS MARCH IN SPITE OF THE US SANCTIONS. ARAFAT CALLS UPON ALL COUNTRIES TO MOVE TO STOP THE MASSACRE. THE ARAB LEAGUE, THE GCC AND THE EU CONDEMN THE ISRAELI DESTRUCTION CAMPAIGNS IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES. THE SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNS ISRAEL AND WASHINGTON REFRAINS FROM VOTING. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard chaired on Monday the Saudi Council of Ministers' weekly session at Al-Salam palace in Jeddah. At the outset of the session, in the name of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz and in his own, the Crown Prince expressed his appreciation of and best thanks to the leaders of Arab Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and their representatives for their achievements during deliberations, consultations and talks at their the sixth consultation meeting hosted by the Kingdom on Sunday. The meeting was characterized by a brotherly atmosphere. The Crown Prince stressed all GCC leaders' keenness on the interests, progress and prosperity for member countries of the Council and their peoples as well as Arab and Islamic countries. The Crown Prince also emphasized the leaders' keenness on a deep review of the Council's progress and cooperation during the past years and on the enhancement of its steps to achieve the ambitions and aspirations of GCC citizens in all political, economic, social and other fields. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the session, the Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Fuad Ibn Abdul Salam Al-Farsi said that the Cabinet reviewed the decision of the United States of America on imposing sanctions on Syria. The Cabinet pointed out that this decision will further complicate the situations in the Middle East and will not serve stability in the region, but, on the contrary, it will lead to more tension and feelings of injustice by the Arab people while Israel has been continuing its aggressions and violations against the unarmed Palestinian people, and carrying out its continuous violations of international norms and laws which necessitate the imposition of sanctions on Israel. In this regard, the Cabinet affirmed that a positive dialogue and negotiations will contribute to strengthening the principles of mutual respect, understanding and common interests. Dr. Al-Farsi added that the Cabinet reviewed the latest developments and events in the region and the world. It also reviewed contacts, consultations and talks held by the Kingdom with senior foreign officials. The talks focused on overall situations and demonstrated the Kingdom's stand that calls for the achievement of security and stability in the world in general and Palestine and Iraq in particular. US President George W. Bush had signed an executive order on Tuesday banning US exports to Syria, banning Syrian aircraft from þ the United States and banning export to Syria of weapons and weapons-related þ items.þ þ The order said Syria's support of terrorism, its occupation of Lebanon, its þpursuit of weapons of mass destruction and missile programs, and its actions þin "undermining United States and international efforts with respect to the stabilization and reconstruction of Iraq constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy and economy of þ the United States."þ þ The sanctions were imposed under the Syria Accountability and Lebanese þSovereignty Restoration Act of 2003.þ As well as the sanctions selected from those provided for under the act, þthe president warned that US financial institutions will soon be required to "sever correspondence accounts with the Commercial Bank of Syria, based on þ money laundering concerns."þ þ He ordered the freezing of "assets that belong to certain Syrian þindividuals and government entities."þ Bush warned that more sanctions could follow if the Syrian government did not "take serious and concrete steps to cease its support for terrorist þgroups, terminate its weapons of mass destruction programs, withdraw its troops from Lebanon, and cooperate fully with the international community in þpromoting the stabilization and reconstruction of Iraq." þþ þþIn a statement issued by the White House, President Bush said: ''Today, I have signed an Executive Order implementing sanctions on Syria pursuant to the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003. These sanctions will significantly reduce the level of trade and commercial activity between our two countries, and in particular target entities and officials in or closely associated with the Syrian government who have engaged in actions of concern specified in the Act.'' ''Since 1979, the United States has designated Syria a State Sponsor of Terrorism due to its support for groups such as Hizballah and Palestinian terrorist organizations. In 2003, Congress passed the SAA because of Syria's continued support for terrorism, pursuit of weapons of mass destruction, occupation of Lebanon, and actions undermining U.S. and international efforts with respect to Iraq. Based on Syria's failure to take significant, concrete steps to address the concerns we have raised, I have determined that further economic sanctions be imposed,'' he added. ''The Syrian government must understand that its conduct alone will determine the duration of the sanctions, and the extent to which additional sanctions may be imposed should the Syrian government fail to adopt a more constructive approach to relations with its neighbours, weapons of mass destruction, and terrorism,'' Bush said. In Damascus, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad said Thursday he wouldn't bow to US demands to expel Palestinian militant groups and criticized new US sanctions against Syria, disputing Bush administration charges that his country has weapons of mass destruction and is allowing foreign fighters to move across the border into Iraq. The Syrian President denied that foreign fighters are using Syria's border to cross into Iraq. "Syria will continue to live its daily life but we will continue to be always open" for dialogue, especially on the Middle East and Iraq, the Syrian leader said. In a meeting of about 90 minutes with American editors, President Al-Assad said the United States has made it clear that its No. 1 priority is Iraq and not the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, adding that he will eventually need the United States' help in any future negotiations to return the territory Syria occupied by Israel. "Of course, we cannot abandon our occupied lands and the United States has an important role," Al- Assad said. "They say this is not now a priority for them so we cannot agree on these points." Repeating criticism of the US occupation of Iraq, the Syrian leader stressed the importance of preserving the territorial integrity of the Arab country. Al-Assad said there are no leaders of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Syria, but only political spokesmen who came to Syria after being expelled by Israel. The true Hamas leaders, he said, are in the Palestinian territories, including two recently killed by Israel. Referring to Hamas members in Syria, Al-Assad said: "If you ask them to go, where could they go? They have to go back to their land and Israel could put them in jail. ... We don't expel people." Syria has asked the Bush administration for evidence of infiltrators, Al-Assad said. "We have no response to the request to give us one passport, one name, one piece of evidence," he added. The Syrian President said he's still committed to reform but that it will come slowly because of regional instability and the reluctance of some in his society to change. Asked if he sees free elections in Syria one day, he said, "Definitely. Definitely. We're going to change." "We haven't made great progress. I think the road is still long ahead of us," he said. Assad said the instability in Iraq affects Syria. He said there was a history in the 1980s of Iraq sending saboteurs into Syria and that even today there is smuggling of arms from Iraq to Syria. "This is dangerous for Syria. This is the natural result of the lack of a state in Iraq." þ Syria's Information Minister Ahmad Al-Hasan said America's decision to impose sanctions on Syria is based on accusations that lack credibility and evidence and is the outcome of pressures by the fundamentalist party of the US Administration which pursues a Middle East policy that serves the interests of the Israeli government and not the interests of the American people. þ Al-Hasan said the impact of the US decision will be weak due to the limitation of Syria-US trade relations. þ He pointed out that the policy of pressure will not settle problems between the two countries, but will aggravate them, reiterating Syria's belief in dialogue which is the best way to settling suspended problems. þ The Syrian Information Minister made clear that Syria is seriously dealing with the issue, stressing the importance of reactivating Arab solidarity as a basis to confront foreign challenges and back SyriaÕs firm stances based on unwavering national principles. Lebanese President Emile Lahoud said the measures were "new evidence of the partiality of the US administration and its historic submission to Israel." þ But he expressed confidence that "Syria has sufficient ability to face up to this new injustice." þ In a statement for the Lebanese Republic Presidency on Wednesday in Beirut, President Lahoud said this decision makes one inquire that this series of mistakes by the American administration in the region will lead to more tension and escalation, and to more Arab feelings of in justice. þ He reduced the importance of the results of such decisions saying Syria has enough capability to continue steadfast in the confrontation of this new unjust decision. Arab League Secretary General Amre Moussa on Monday stressed that the American false accusations against Syria create more tension in the region and serve Israel's interests. "this is a very serious decision added to the þnegative stance of Arab-American relations, from Palestine to Iraq and now to þSyria."þ Moussa said the Arab peace initiative is very clear and serves a basis to achieve just and comprehensive peace in the region. He stressed the necessity of realizing peace in the region and making reforms in it. þ þ Commenting on this decision, Mousa told newsmen, "we always hoped that þthe United States would reconsider its relations and performance with the Arab þ states and understand that taking the Arab as enemies is not a positive issue."þ þ He called on the United States to reconsider this policy as all the þ Arabs are angry, confirming "what is happening is neither on behalf of the þ Arab-American relations nor the stability of the region."þ He stressed that the Israeli views should not be imposed on US policy in þ this way. þ þþThe European Union has announced it is determined to continue its co-operation with Syria and to finalize an Association Agreement despite the economic sanctions imposed by the US on it, recently. The European Commission Vice President in charge of energy and transport files Loyola De Palacio expressed in a press conference held on Sunday at the Damascus Meridian hotel her hope to finalize the Association Agreement between Syria and the European Union as soon as possible. Replying to a question on Europe's position towards the American economic sanctions prescribed on Syria since Tuesday, Palacio said in Damascus that the "European Union will pursue the long- term policy " with Syria. She denied that the US had made pressure to prevent the agreement between Syria and the EU. She indicated that the Americans " did not tell us any thing. Did not make a pressure. we implement our own strategy." She also reiterated "the desire of the European union to end the negotiations with Syria as soon as possible, because there are still pending issues pertinent to the weapons of mass destruction." The press conference, however, came after Palacio's meeting with the Syrian Prime Minister Naji Otari and several ministers during which discussions dealt with accelerating EU- Syria cooperation in the fields of gas, oil and electricity. In Ramallah, President Yasser Arafat þcalled on the world community to provide world protection for Palestinians following the Israeli massacres in the southern Gaza refugee camp of Rafah.þ þ In a statement to newsmen, Arafat said that the Israeli helicopters and þ tanks attacks, which claimed 23 lives and left a lot injured, while peacefully protesting against Israeli siege, is a 'human massacre' against human values þ and international laws.þ þ He accused the Israeli government of destroying Gaza Strip while claiming þ that it is withdrawing from it. "Is this withdrawal from Gaza or destroying it?þ " said Arafat.þ þ The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the awful crime committed by the Israeli terrorist forces against þ Palestinian citizens in the city of Rafah, considering it a 'removal of all þ hopes for peace'.þ þ A Foreign Ministry statement said that þkilling women, children and men who had demonstrated peacefully in protest þ against the siege of the city, shows the brutality of the occupation forces and their leadership who practice organized terrorism and commit war crimes.þ þ The statement considered Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who is þ þinternationally and locally accused of being responsible for the massacres of þSabra and Shatila in Beirut in 1982 and the Qubia and Kafr Qassem massacres, is still practicing this policy despite his position as a prime minister.þ þ The statement called on the Arab countries to move according to their þ responsibilities. It also appealed for the world community to get out of its þsilence and take practical procedures on the ground to protect the Palestinian þ people. The death toll in the city of Rafah as a result of þ Israeli gunfire against Palestinians has risen to 16 as dozens of Israeli þ tanks and hundreds of troops swept through the refugee camp, Palestinian medical sources said on Tuesday.þ þ The sources added that the wounded reached 30 in the evening, twelve of þ whom were seriously injured, while some are still in the besieged Tel al-Sultan neighbourhood as they are prevented from being carried to hospital.þ þ þþThe Israeli military helicopters at dawn launched missiles at Rafah city and this resulted in killing 12 Palestinians and injuring more 30. News reports in Gaza said that Tel al-Sultan quarters is continuously exposed to bombardment. The Palestinian leadership has called on the UN Security Council, the þ Quartet for Middle East Peace, and the European Union to intervene in Gaza to stop þ Israeli aggression against the Palestinians.þ þ The leadership considered what goes on in Gaza as a war crime and affirmed that the Palestinian people would not yield to Israeli aggression. The þleadership said in a statement issued by WAFA news agency that the Israeli þ army's announcement that it would stay in Rafah for several more days was þmeant to give the troops time to destroy refugee camps and expel the þ Palestinians from them.þ þ þþMeanwhile, US President George W. Bush called Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Gaza withdrawal plan "a bold, courageous step" on þ Tuesday and said Palestinians must "reject corrupt and failed leaders." þ þ He spoke at the annual gathering of the American Israel Public Affairs þ Committee (AIPAC), a major and influential group that lobbies Congress on þ behalf of Israel.þ þ The US President got repeated standing ovations as he emphasized the close þ ties between America and Israel. One such ovation came after he declared, "A free, prosperous and secure Israel is in this nation's national interest."þ þ Referring to the overthrown government of Saddam Hussein in Iraq, he said þ "The regime cast a shadow, a dark shadow of aggression over the Middle East þ for decades. They invaded both Iran and Kuwait."þ þ He noted that as June 30 approach, "the enemies of freedom grow even more þ desperate to prevent a rise of democracy in Iraq." Their goal was "to þ undermine the will of our coalition and the will of America and to drive us þout before our mission is complete.þ þ"They are not going to succeed. They will not shake the will of America." þIn time, said Bush, "Iraq will be a free and democratic nation at the heart þof the Middle East. This will send a message, a powerful message, from þ Damascus to Tehran, that democracy can bring hope to lives in every culture." þ þ The president said freedom was also "at the heart of our þapproach to bringing peace between Israel and the Palestinian people. The þ United States is strongly committed and I am strongly committed, to the þsecurity of Israel as a vibrant Jewish state. Israel is a democracy and a þ friend, and has every right to defend itself from terror."þ þ For the sake of peace, the United States was "committed to helping the þ Palestinian people establish a democratic and viable state of their own." þIsrael needed "a truly responsible partner" to achieve peace.þ þ Calling on all parties to embrace democracy, he mentioned the battle going þ on in a Gaza refugee camp, saying, "The unfolding violence in the Gaza Strip þis troubling and underscores the need for all parties to seize every þ opportunity for peace."þ þ The Palestinian people, he said, "must reject corrupt and failed leaders þ and insist on a leadership committed to reform and progress and peace. They þmust renounce terror and violence that frustrate their aspirations and take so þ many innocent lives."þ þ By taking such steps, he said, they would have "a fantastic opportunity to þbuild a modern economy and creation the institutions and habits of liberty." þ þ Thirteen Palestinians were killed and 50 were injured þWednesday in an Israeli air strike targeting a popular demonstration that was þ heading toward Tal Al-Sultan area in the border town of Rafah, Palestinian þ þmedical sources said.þ þ The sources added that several Israeli helicopters had fired missiles at þ the demonstration in which thousands of Palestinians were protesting against þ Israeli massacres in Tal Al-Sultan.þ þ Palestinian witnesses said that corpses and body parts covered the streets þ amidst great chaos.þ Earlier in the day, Israeli forces shot dead a 13-year-old boy in Tal þ Al-Sultan who was standing near his home. His 11-year-old brother was þseriously injured. The UN Security Council said in a resolution the US refrained from voting to condemn Israel over killing the Palestinian civilians in Rafah area and called on Israel to stop demolishing the houses of the Palestinian in Gaza. The US refrained from voting for the draft resolution which was supported by 14 of the 15 UN Security Council members, following Algeria which represents the Arab group at the UN security council. Diplomats said that the tone of the final resolutions script was modified to avoid the US using the Veto. The resolution condemned the "killing of the Palestinian civilians in Rafah area and called on Israel to honour its obligations according to the International law. It stressed "Israel's commitment not to demolish the houses in contradiction with this law." The resolution which also called for ending the acts of violence called for "deep concern" over the humanitarian condition of the Palestinian who became homeless in Rafah camp for the refugees which is close to the Egyptian borders. However, the last time in which the US refrained from voting on an UN resolutions was on September 24, 2002 where the Veto was used against a draft resolution calling on Israel to withdraw its army from the West Bank cities which were reoccupied. þþIn the meantime, President George Bush expressed concern about reports that another 10 Palestinians had been killed by þIsraeli fire in the Gaza Strip, where 20 Palestinians died a day before in an þIsraeli offensive.þ þ Speaking to reporters in the White House after a Cabinet meeting, the þ President answered a question about the reports by saying, "I continue to urge þrestraint. It is essential that people respect innocent life in order for us þto achieve peace. We will get clarification from the (Israeli) government." þ þHe said he would "continue to speak out about the need for all parties to þrespect innocent life in the Middle East."þ þ Earlier on Wednesday, White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters þ at a briefing that "We are concerned about the reports from Gaza and the þ number of Palestinians who are said to have been injured and killed.þ'' þ "We have asked the government of Israel for the facts about what happened þtoday.þ We will continue to follow this closely and we urge all parties to þ exercise maximum restraint,"þ he added. þ It is important from the US point of view þthat Israel "act with restraint" regarding the demolition of Palestinian homes in Rafah, State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said on Monday.þ þ "We are discussing this issue with the government of Israel, seeking þadditional information from the Israeli government of what it is doing and what its plans are with regard to the demolition of homes in Rafah," Ereli þ said during a department briefing.þ þ Secretary of State Colin Powell is well aware of the feelings in the Arab þworld "and the United States is sympathetic to their grievances," Ereli said. þ"That is why we work I think so tirelessly on behalf of this issue, on behalf þof trying to resolve the dispute between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and on behalf of acting resolutely against terror and against targeting of þ innocent civilians by terrorist groups that has done so much to scuttle and þ frustrate the hops and efforts of those of us who are committed to a þ negotiated solution".þ þ Pressed on what response the United States was receiving from Israeli þ officials on the issue of the demolition of Palestinian homes, Ereli said he þwould not speak for the Israelis, "but I will tell you that I think we are þengaged with them on this issue. That dialogue is important, and we hope it þwill prove productive". US Secretary of State Colin Powell criticized the Israeli Army for demolishing houses in the Gaza Strip þ town of Rafah, but stressed that his country supported what he described as þIsraeli right for self defence. þ þ þ"While the US understands Israel's right to self-defence, we oppose the kind þof actions they are taking in Rafah against Palestinian homes,"þ Powell said, adding: "We oppose the destruction of homes, we do not think this act is productive.".þ þ Powell attacked the Palestinian leader's speech on "Naqba" day in which he þcalled on the Palestinians to fight the invaders.þ "Mr. Arafat continues to make statements like the one he made yesterday þabout let's terrorize the region," Powell said. þ þ "Everybody says the United States should do more, we want to do more but Mr. Arafat continues to take actions and make statements that make it þexceptionally difficult to move forward."þ þ The US chief diplomat said the United States was "anxious to do þ everything that it could to stop this cycle of strike and counter strike".þ Powell also defended the US decision to sanction Syria, saying the Arab þ þstate did not act on the issues the US had asked for such as seeking weapons þof mass-destruction, harbouring terrorist organizations and not sufficiently þpatrolling its borders with Iraq, as he claimed. þþ President Hosni Mubarak received Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei who briefed him on the outcome of his talks with US National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice and European leaders. Qurei described the talks with Rice as a breakthrough in the Palestinian-American dialogue. He added that the US President's message to him, conveyed by Rice, covered twice the phrase "ending the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories." The message also stressed the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza is part of the roadmap plan and both of Gaza and West Bank are one geographical unit, he added. The US message also covered a written pledge on refraining from prejudicing the final status issues, he said. The breakthrough in the Palestinian-US dialogue achieved thanks to Arab efforts including Egypt as President Hosni Mubarak sent five messages to US President George Bush last month, he added. Meanwhile, Palestinian Minister of Negotiations Affairs Saeb Erekat said Rice and German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer would work to arrange a Quartet Committee meeting soon to probe the Palestinian plans on rehabilitating the Palestinian security forces in cooperation with Egypt and Jordan. In Brussels,þþ the European Union (EU) on Wednesday strongly þcondemned Israeli army attack on Palestinian demonstrators in Rafah in Gaza þthat killed and wounded scores of people including school children.þ þ "It is clear that today's action was completely disproportionate to any þ threat faced by the Israeli military and that Israeli forces showed a reckless þdisregard for human life," said Irish foreign minister Brian Cowen.þ þ Initial reports from the ground showed that at least 23 people, many of þ them school children, were killed in the attack with over 60 others injured.þ þ Cowen reminded the Jewish state as "the occupying power" that the fourth þGeneva convention calls for protection of civilians in time of war and such a þ case was applicable to the Gaza strip.þ þ He said the killing of children did not serve any legitimate cause and þ degraded any purpose which its purported in advance. þþ þIn a final communiqué, the EU foreign ministers condemned the þ"terror" attacks on Israel as well as the Israeli large-scale demolishing of þ Palestinian houses in the Rafah district in the Gaza strip and called on the Palestinian Authority to take immediate action against "terrorist" groups and individuals þ who plan and execute the attacks.þ þ The ministers said they recognized Israel's right to defend itself, but þ this should happen within parameters of international law.þ They meanwhile termed as "disproportionate" the destruction of the þPalestinian houses in Rafah, which was in conflict with the international law.þ þ The ministers urged the Israeli government to cease such demolishing þ immediately.þ They condemned any statements inciting violence and condemned the þinhuman treatment of remains of Israeli soldiers in Gaza.þ þ The top diplomats called for renewed efforts towards a comprehensive þ þcease-fire as a step towards dismantling of "terrorist" capabilities and þ þinfrastructure.þ þ The EU has always argued that the roadmap was the only solution for the þIsraeli-Palestinian conflict.þ It said all final status issues must be settled through negotiations and þagreed solutions by both parties. EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana condemned Israel's policy of demolishing houses in Gaza Strip and Rafah refugee camp, stressing that the Israeli practices are contradicting in form and content to the road map. In Cairo, the Arab League condemned on Sunday the demolishing of Palestinians homes in the city of Rafah at the hands of Israeli army in the þpast few days calling it a "war crime."þ þ A statement by the league added that "the destruction of homes and þ incursions are aimed at escalating the situation at a time where the whole þ world is exerting all efforts to bring peace to this region."þ þ þ þþOn the other hand, The Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa condemned Israeli aggressive practices against the Palestinian people, asserting that demolishing of homes and assassination of Palestinian leaders reflect Israel's aggressive policy and objection to achieve just and comprehensive peace in the region. In a statement published in Cairo, Moussa criticized Israeli illusive statements on its desire of achieving peace, saying "who can believe these statements in the light of Israeli destructive behaviours?. Moussa called on the US to abandon its bias to Israel and to play a more just role regarding the Palestinian cause.