ID :
30343
Sat, 11/15/2008 - 14:06
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/30343
The shortlink copeid
Arab League expects Obama to chart new Mideast course
CAIRO, Nov. 14 Kyodo - Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa said the league is paying close attention to the Middle East policies of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama, with strong expectations for clarification of the timetable of a U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq and promotion of dialogue between Washington and Tehran.
''I hope for an honest broker,'' Moussa said in an interview with Kyodo News on
Thursday when asked what he expects from Obama. ''We hope that the question and
the situation in the Middle East will figure high in the list of priorities of
the U.S. administration. Let's wait and see.''
He said there are ''some positive points'' in the Middle East policy of
outgoing U.S. President George W. Bush, but expressed disappointment that a
Palestinian state was not established before the end of his term in office,
despite his pledge to do so.
On the Obama administration's Iraq policy, Moussa said, ''The position of Mr.
Obama is clear, that he is going to withdraw troops within a certain period of
time. We still have to see a firm line of the next president.''
He said he could not comment on ongoing negotiations between Iraq and the
United States over a security pact without a full picture of the agreement.
When asked whether he supports the withdrawal within 16 months, he said, ''This
is their policy (the Iraqis). You cannot oppose that.''
On the law and order situation in Iraq after a withdrawal of U.S. troops, he
said he believes there is room for the Iraqi army to be reorganized.
Moussa praised Obama's willingness to talk to the Iranian government as ''very
positive.''
''The negotiations, the political path, diplomatic path, all those
considerations have to be supported. You cannot support military action,'' he
said.
But he said dealing with the nuclear situation in the region will require not
only Iran's but also Israel's nuclear activities to be placed under
international control.
''The solution to that problem will have to be to establish a zone free of
nuclear weapons that will apply to all countries of the region including Iran,
Israel and any other country that needs to enter into the nuclear field. All
the nuclear activities have to be peaceful under the IAEA (International Atomic
Energy Agency) monitoring. This is the solution,'' he said.
Moussa said Iran has the ''full right'' to develop peaceful nuclear energy.
''Iran is member of the NPT (Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty) and has all the
rights to enjoy and benefit from that treaty,'' he said.
''As for the military, again, we do not need any military nuclear activity
coming from any country. And therefore the solution is to agree that the entire
Middle East region should be free from nuclear weapons,'' he added.
If Obama decides to hold direct negotiations with Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad, Moussa said it would result in upgrading the current negations
between the six powers and Iran.
==Kyodo
''I hope for an honest broker,'' Moussa said in an interview with Kyodo News on
Thursday when asked what he expects from Obama. ''We hope that the question and
the situation in the Middle East will figure high in the list of priorities of
the U.S. administration. Let's wait and see.''
He said there are ''some positive points'' in the Middle East policy of
outgoing U.S. President George W. Bush, but expressed disappointment that a
Palestinian state was not established before the end of his term in office,
despite his pledge to do so.
On the Obama administration's Iraq policy, Moussa said, ''The position of Mr.
Obama is clear, that he is going to withdraw troops within a certain period of
time. We still have to see a firm line of the next president.''
He said he could not comment on ongoing negotiations between Iraq and the
United States over a security pact without a full picture of the agreement.
When asked whether he supports the withdrawal within 16 months, he said, ''This
is their policy (the Iraqis). You cannot oppose that.''
On the law and order situation in Iraq after a withdrawal of U.S. troops, he
said he believes there is room for the Iraqi army to be reorganized.
Moussa praised Obama's willingness to talk to the Iranian government as ''very
positive.''
''The negotiations, the political path, diplomatic path, all those
considerations have to be supported. You cannot support military action,'' he
said.
But he said dealing with the nuclear situation in the region will require not
only Iran's but also Israel's nuclear activities to be placed under
international control.
''The solution to that problem will have to be to establish a zone free of
nuclear weapons that will apply to all countries of the region including Iran,
Israel and any other country that needs to enter into the nuclear field. All
the nuclear activities have to be peaceful under the IAEA (International Atomic
Energy Agency) monitoring. This is the solution,'' he said.
Moussa said Iran has the ''full right'' to develop peaceful nuclear energy.
''Iran is member of the NPT (Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty) and has all the
rights to enjoy and benefit from that treaty,'' he said.
''As for the military, again, we do not need any military nuclear activity
coming from any country. And therefore the solution is to agree that the entire
Middle East region should be free from nuclear weapons,'' he added.
If Obama decides to hold direct negotiations with Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad, Moussa said it would result in upgrading the current negations
between the six powers and Iran.
==Kyodo
