EGYPT: A deeply divided Arab world was unable to hide its differences at a weekend summit designed to forge a united response to the Iraq crisis.Instead, the meeting of Arab heads of state in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh degenerated into a public shouting match as tempers frayed and new divisions arose.
Although the leaders issued a statement condemning any war on Iraq and urging more time for arms inspectors to carry out their work, they did not address the issue of Arab countries such as Kuwait and Qatar hosting US troops, saying merely that Arab countries "should not participate in" military action against Iraq".
They also refused to discuss in public an unprecedented suggestion from Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates that Saddam Hussein and the entire Iraqi leadership step down in order to avert war.
The proposal, which UAE diplomats said was backed by Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and a number of other regimes, called for immunity from prosecution for the Iraqi regime and for a post-Saddam Iraq to be governed by a joint Arab League and United Nations interim administration.
Libya's Col Muamar Gadafy accused the Saudi Arabian government of forming "an alliance with the devil" by asking US troops to protect it from Iraq in the 1991 Gulf War. Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah angrily called Gadafy an "agent for colonisers". "You are a liar and your grave awaits you," he said.