canada.com - Despite Iraqi outrage, Emirates seeks support for its call for Saddam's exile


The King of Bahrain has added his voice to the UAE's call for Saddam to step down.

[...]The king of Bahrain, a U.S. ally, said he backs the call for Saddam to go, the Emirates state news agency, WAM, reported Sunday. The Emirates also submitted its proposal to a gathering of Gulf countries Sunday, looking for their backing.


The proposal sparked an outcry at an Arab summit in Egypt on Saturday and Arab leaders refused to discuss it. The Emirates was the first Arab country to say openly that Middle East leaders should persuade Saddam to step down.


"Rejecting these ideas put forward by the UAE. is acceptance of the remaining option, which is war," Sheik Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Emirates information minister, said.


The Bahraini king, Sheik Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, met Sunday with the Emirates president in Abu Dhabi. Afterwards, he called the Emirates proposal "honest advice to the Iraqi leadership," acccording to WAM.[...]