Wednesday, March 26, 2003

Arab nations want emergency UN meeting and vote
'Iraq's UN ambassador says Arab nations want an emergency Security Council meeting and vote on a resolution demanding the immediate withdrawal of the U.S.-led invasion force - even though they anticipate vetoes by the United States and Britain... Arab nations on Monday called for an emergency Security Council meeting following up on a decision taken by Arab foreign ministers in Cairo, Egypt, earlier in the day. They called on the United States and Britain to withdraw their troops from Iraq immediately and unconditionally, and urged a council meeting. "We will ask that the invasion stop, that the invading forces will be withdrawn, and that Iraq's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence will be preserved," said Arab League Ambassador Yahya Mahmassani.'

'Al-Douri told Associated Press Television News the United States and Britain will "certainly" veto a resolution asking them to end their "illegal aggression" and immediately pull out their troops. But "the veto itself is sometimes a kind of defeat," he said. Once the resolution is vetoed in the Security Council, the Arab Group has been instructed by the Arab ministers to seek an emergency meeting of the 191-member General Assembly.'

When the vote is brought before the UN general assembly, Australia must be challenged to support it.

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