Amman, Jordan — Still squabbling over the 1991 Gulf War, 22 Arab countries wrapped up their summit Wednesday without any agreement about lifting the crippling economic sanctions against Iraq.
Kuwait objected to proposed language in a resolution that would have urged the Arab countries to unilaterally lift the sanctions. As a result, the rambling resolution issued from the summit barely mentioned Iraq, and an appendix called the Amman Communique contained only vague language urging the end to sanctions.
The only item on the agenda that elicited broad agreement among the 22 Arab nations was animosity toward Israel, which was roundly condemned for the violence that has killed 443 people, the majority of them Palestinians. The Arab leaders endorsed a call for renewal of a boycott of Israel.
As expected, the Arab countries approved a $240 million aid package to finance the Palestinian's self-rule government in the West Bank and Gaza. "In view of the limited time frame for this summit, we could not reach consensus on all issues," lamented Jordanian foreign minister Abdul-Illah Khatib.
The sanctions, imposed after Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait, have been eroding in recent months. Flights have resumed between Amman and Baghdad. In November, Syria reopened an oil pipeline from Iraq. Egypt recently signed a trade agreement with Iraq.
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