CAIRO Ñ The Arab League continues efforts to convince Iraqi
President Saddam Hussein to enter exile as a new report says a senior Pentagon advisor prepared a exile plan for U.S. allies late last year.
In December, Richard Perle, director of the Defense Policy Board and
regarded as close to U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, relayed a
proposal to unspecified European Union members for the exile of Saddam.
The
London-based Al Hayat daily reported on Monday that Perle's plan called for
U.S. guarantees for Saddam's safety to a country willing to accept him in
exile. In return, Saddam and members of his entourage would be banned from
communicating with anybody abroad for a limited period.
Meanwhile, Arab diplomatic sources said Saudi Arabia and several of its allies have
urged the league to launch an intensified effort to persuade Saddam to agree
to a proposal for his exile in exchange for immunity from prosecution for
war crimes, Middle East Newsline reported.
The sources said Saddam's agreement is regarded as a vital step
to obtain cooperation from the United States and other permanent members of
the United Nation Security Council for asylum for the Iraqi president.
The Arab League has been examining the prospect of establishing a
high-level committee of representatives who would travel to Baghdad to meet
Saddam or his aides to discuss the exile proposal. So far, not one Arab
country has acknowledged that it wants Saddam to agree to exile in an
attempt to prevent a U.S.-led war against Iraq.
"I don't think any Arab country would interfere in Iraq's internal
affairs," Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said following a summit with
Libya and Syria. "It is the Iraqi people who should decide who rules over
their country."
Last month, Saddam cancelled plans to send his envoy, Al Hassan Majid,
to Cairo to discuss the prospect of the exile of the Iraqi leadership. The
trip was cancelled after the United States refused to guarantee that Majid,
accused of killing hundreds of thousands of people in chemical warfare
attacks, would not be arrested and prosecuted on charges of war crimes.
Diplomatic sources said the Arab League has drafted several proposals
for Saddam's exile. They include a Security Council resolution that would,
in effect, grant Saddam immunity from prosecution.
The league has also searched for countries that would provide safe haven
to Saddam. The sources said the ideal country would be a permanent member of
the Security Council, which could veto any anti-Saddam resolution.
Saudi Arabia, which is not a permanent member of the Security Council,
has already relayed an offer to Saddam to provide him with asylum. Belarus
and Libya are also said to have agreed to accept Saddam.
The sources said the league wants to send a mission to Baghdad to
present Saddam with the exile proposal. Under the proposal, Saddam would
have no more than one month to reply.
The Kuwaiti daily Al Rai Al Aam reported on Monday that Britain and the
United States have not abandoned the idea of Saddam's exile. The newspaper
quoted Western diplomatic sources as saying that the allies plan to relay an
offer to Saddam for his exile 48 hours before their planned attack on Iraq.
This would constitute Saddam's final chance to prevent a war.
