Velvet Revolution in the Middle East

The USA ready to grant asylum abroad to Hussein in exchange for resignation
As Time magazine reports, Arab leaders are developing a plan for overthrowing Saddam Hussein. It is reported that Saudi Arabia is the center of the plot with its idea saying that Iraqi generals and people from his circle must throw the Iraqi president down. Main idea of the plot is to avoid waging of a war by the USA, that would entail more wars all over the region. A source informing the magazine reports, Saudis offer the US Security Council to adopt a resolution on amnesty to the Iraqi leadership in case they get rid of Saddam Hussein. This amnesty is to be applied to 100-120 people, high-ranking officials from the Socialist Arab Baas party and their relatives. Announcement of amnesty to members of the Iraqi leadership may become a signal for the Iraqi people for beginning of a coup. A diplomat says: “If members of the government are guaranteed amnesty, Saddam Hussein will be checkmated.”

The Saudi plan was approved in Washington. US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld says he will be very happy when Saddam Hussein is expelled from Iraq and isolated from his gang. He adds, this will be possible if Iraqi high-ranking officials get amnesty in exchange for their assistance in overthrowing of Saddam Hussein. The US Secretary of Defense said that if the Iraqi officials agree, he would order to guarantee safe residence in some other country to them and their families.

Iraq’s Ambassador to Russia Abbas Khalaf commented upon today’s statement of Donald Rumsfeld. He said that the problem wasn’t the subject for discussion, as it was America’s attempt to interfere into Iraq’s domestic affairs. The ambassador emphasizes that Iraqis can settle their problems independently. At the end, Abbas Khalaf added: “Money that Washington appropriates for preparation for a war against Iraq should be better spent on creation of workplaces in the USA.”

Dmitry Chirkin PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Maria Gousseva

Read the original in Russian: https://www.pravda.ru/accidents/34787-saudovskaja_aravija_predlozhenie_dobrovolnaja_otstavka_saddama/

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