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Tight security in Qatar for OIC summit

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November 12, 2000 

DOHA (AP) - Qatar deployed scores of policemen and soldiers Saturday at major intersections in the capital and closed the country's airspace to commercial flights, part of preparations to receive heads of state and officials from 56 nations attending an Islamic summit.

Soldiers from Qatar's Special Forces, the country's elite military force, armed with submachine guns, blocked roads leading to Doha International Airport and manned checkpoints along the capital's coastal road, which leads to the venue of the 9th summit of the 56-member Organization of the Islamic Conference and to where leaders will be staying.

The Interior Ministry issued instructions to residents along the coastal road to stay away from windows and balconies overlooking motorcade routes during the three-day gathering.

Several commercial flights to and from Qatar were transferred to neighboring Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Qatar's emir, Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani headed to the airport Saturday to welcome participants in the summit. Twenty-four heads of state were expected to attend in addition to a number of prime ministers. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was among the early arrivals.

Iranian President Mohammad Khatami and Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah were expected in Qatar later Saturday. Qatar on Thursday closed an Israeli trade office after the two leaders had threatened to boycott the summit if the office was kept open.

A draft of the summit's final statement lashes out at Israel, describing its actions in the confrontation with the Palestinians as "wantonly, dastardly and premeditated." It also calls on the United States "to assume a just, honest and humanitarian stance vis-a-vis the Israeli bloody aggression against the Palestinian people."

Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazzi told The Associated Press that U.S. support for Israel "affects the relationship of many countries with the Americans - all Muslim countries are outraged about the support of Americans to Israel. They have shown they are not neutral."

Even before the official start of Sunday's summit, differences among the participants threatened the collapse of the gathering, with the main dispute centering over how strong an action the delegates should adopt against Israel.

Arab League Secretary-general Esmat Abdel-Maguid said the league's boycott offices throughout the Middle East should "start work. That way, we can send a strong message to Israel."

Egypt, Jordan and Turkey resisted intense pressure mainly from the Palestinians, Iranians and Syrians urging them to sever ties with Israel. Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said Saturday that his county will not cut relations with Israel.

"Our policies will not be changed and we shall use our good relations with Israel in order to promote peace to facilitate the peace process."

A draft declaration on Israeli-Palestinian violence that has left more than 180 people, most of them Palestinians, dead in the past six weeks is to be submitted to the leaders Sunday. It leaves decisions up to individual states to review ties with Israel - a much watered-down version from the original draft.

Egyptian Foreign Amr Moussa said Saturday that the statement was toned down to "accommodate certain points of view." However, he said it had been adopted by consensus, so it essentially had satisfied member states.

Moussa, who spoke on his way to a meeting with Cem, said the summit will reflect Muslim nations' firm backing of the Palestinians. "There can't be any gimmicks played around or with the question of Jerusalem," he said.

Jerusalem is holy to Muslims, Jews and Christians, and as home to the third-holiest shrine in Islam, who will control the city is of keen interest throughout the Islamic world. Palestinians want traditionally Arab east Jerusalem as capital of a future state; Israel long has insisted on an undivided Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty, though earlier this year it indicated it may be willing to cede limited authority to the Palestinians over a few neighborhoods.

Also being discussed Saturday informally among delegates is a clause in a final declaration on relations between Kuwait and Iraq. Delegates are trying to change a clause titled "the repercussions of the Iraqi aggression on Kuwait" to "the situation between Iraq and Kuwait."

There is a desire to call on Muslim countries to support Iraq's humanitarian needs, but it's not clear whether that will end up as part of the final summit statement.