Dubai: A bold United Arab Emirates (UAE) proposal to free Saddam Hussein of any
prosecution if he stepped down to avert a war was cold shouldered at the Arab League
summit, convened to discuss the situation arising out of an apparently imminent US
attack on Iraq.
The proposal, part of a four-point initiative was made in a message sent to the
summit at the Red Sea resort of Sharm-el-Sheikh in Egypt on March 1 by the UAE
President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan, the official WAM news agency said.
The UAE President suggested that the Iraqi leadership give up power in exchange for
regional and international binding legal guarantees from any form of prosecution,
the WAM report said, quoting the Abu Dhabi Satellite TV channel.
Sheikh Zayed said the entire Iraqi leadership should step down and leave Iraq within
a fortnight of adopting this Arab initiative. The UAE proposal suggested offering
the Iraqi leadership "all suitable privileges".
The initiative called for a general pardon for all Iraqis inside and outside the
country, the channel said.
"The Arab League shall in co-operation with the UN supervise the situation in the
country for a transitional period, until Iraq could return to normality," it said.
The initiative was submitted to the Arab leaders to be examined by Iraqi, Arab and
international parties.
In the first reaction to the UAE proposal, Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal
said it was not a full-fledged initiative, but an idea that would be discussed in
detail.
PTI
