In statements to reporters, Khaddam said, “This matter is not on the table, and it is not an option for any Arab country to participate in sending forces to Iraq.”
He added, “We support the Iraqi people in all Arab and international forums, and we consider the ordeal affecting Iraq to be an ordeal for the entire Arab nation.”
He emphasized that “it is the duty of all Arab countries to support the Iraqi people in regaining their sovereignty and in returning to exercise their natural rights within both Arab and international frameworks.”
The Iraqi delegation consists of 70 figures representing various Iraqi parties (nationalist, socialist, and Nasserist directions), including Izz al-Din Mohammed Hassan al-Majid, a cousin of Saddam Hussein.
In response to a question about the funds reportedly deposited by the former Iraqi regime in Syrian banks, Khaddam said, “There are some funds and some claims, and this matter is being discussed within a technical framework.”
For his part, al-Majid said that Iraqis are looking for support from all Arabs, not just Syria, and that Syria is the starting point. He expressed hope to visit many other Arab countries soon.
