Arabs seek timetable for pullout from Iraq

The source told AFP such a commitment was one of the conditions Arab foreign ministers imposed before admitting the interim Iraqi government to the Arab League early Tuesday.

Egypt's state-run MENA news agency reported that ministers had agreed to invite "the Governing Council to occupy Iraq's seat" at the Arab League, vacant since the ouster of Saddam Hussein in April.

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Officials said the recognition would be temporary pending Iraq's return to self-rule at the latest and between six months and one year at the earliest.

The Arab League diplomat said the ministers asked the interim government to "step up pressure to establish a timetable for the withdrawal of forces occupying Iraq," in return for the league's recognizing its authority.

In addition, he said, they asked the Iraqi authorities to "pledge to preserve Iraq's territorial integrity and its people's unity."

The ministers stress they will allow the Iraqi Governing Council to "occupy Iraq's seat at the Arab League on a temporary basis," and that such a decision is linked to a "timetable for drafting a constitution and forming a government that emerges from elections."

They say the issue of Iraq's participation in Arab League activities will be "reviewed at the next Arab ministerial council in March" 2004.

The Arab diplomat said the agreement was the fruit of a compromise between those countries that wanted to unconditionally accept the interim government's participation in league meetings and those who stressed that Iraq was occupied.

Reuters adds: The US Army has ordered thousands of National Guard and Army Reserve forces in Iraq and nearby countries to extend their tours of duty to a year, The Washington Post reported yesterday.

The new order, requiring 12-month tours, means many Guard and Army Reserve troops could have their original year-long mobilizations extended for anywhere from one to six months, the newspaper said, citing unnamed Army officials.