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Review of the Arab press

AMMAN, Jordan, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Arab press roundup for Aug. 29:

The London-based al-Quds al-Arabi said Monday Iraq's draft constitution concludes the U.S. scheme to divide Iraq and to consolidate its control over the region.

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The independent Palestinian-owned daily warned the "virus of division" in Iraq will infect neighboring countries, especially Saudi Arabia. It said Iraq's federal structure, as noted in the constitution, was unprecedented in the region or in Muslim countries because none was economically and democratically ready for such a system.

The paper added it was natural for President Bush to welcome the draft charter as a "source of inspiration to the supporters of democracy to save face as he begged the Iraqi parties to endorse the draft constitution before its deadline in order to escape from Iraq and save what is left of his dwindling popularity" at home.

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It asked: "Didn't Bush declare an end to the war? Didn't he say that Iraq will be better after changing the regime? Didn't he say the world will be a safer place and promised an end to terrorism and al-Qaida? The answers to all these questions are written on the wall, with very bold letters."

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Egypt's al-Ahram daily said Iraq was in another perilous stage after police raided the offices of Moqtada al-Sadr who was against the draft constitution.

The government-owned paper said the raid threatened inter-Shiite fighting. It said instead of being a source of unity and stability, the draft charter, submitted to parliament Sunday despite Sunni opposition, had become a source of division of the people and the country, "even among the people of the same sect."

The paper argued Iraq did not need more "side-fighting," and asked whether "those who ignited sedition wanted to turn the country into small sectarian cantons for the interest of regional powers."

It said the fears of a divided country into three regions -- for Shiites, Kurds and Sunnis -- has become real, adding that President Bush threatened the Sunnis into accepting the draft constitution or they would be left out of ruling the country.

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The mass-circulation paper called on "reasonable and wise Iraqis" to stop the bloodshed and reject the division of their country. It also called on the U.N. and international community to "stop this farce" and asked why the international community remains silent when the United Nations had intervened in areas with less strife than in Iraq.

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Syria's official Tishreen daily commented President Bush's call for Americans to be patient on Iraq indicated his policies had become unbearable.

The state-owned paper said August was bad for Bush and his policies, adding the number of American soldiers killed in Iraq had risen significantly as the anti-war movement in the United States had grown and Bush's popularity has reached a record low.

It insisted the "facts and protest demonstrations prove Bush's declining support for his policies, leaving only 40 percent who continue to support him."

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The Jordan Times backed Egypt's refusal to sign the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty unless Israel first joins the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

It said all the Middle East countries have signed the NPT except for Israel. The country's only English-language daily, partially owned by the government, said it was "this anomaly and double standards" that prompted Cairo to declare its ratification of the CTBT is linked to Israel's signing of the NPT.

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It argued none of Israel's neighbors was threatening Israel with aggression after Egypt and Jordan signed peace accords with the Jewish state, adding Syria and Lebanon had shown interest in following suit.

The paper urged Israel to promote this peaceful trend and "lend support to the forces of peace by becoming party to the NPT and the CTBT." Otherwise, it warned, Arab countries in the region will "continue to endeavor to acquire some kind of deterrence or another to offset the Israeli monopoly over nuclear arms."

The daily said Israel can attain permanent security by making peace with the rest of the region, but it risks other countries seeking nuclear weapons if Israel develops and possesses these weapons.

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The London-based al-Hayat said the prosecutor looking into the killing of former Lebanese premier Rafik Hariri had enough proof about those behind the attack.

The Saudi-financed paper quoted unidentified "international sources" as saying the prosecutor, Detley Mehlis, called for "thinking about the stage after" his final report is submitted to the United Nations next month, adding the prosecutor had doubts in the capabilities of the Lebanese judiciary. The sources told the paper all the witnesses he questioned had no confidence the Lebanese authorities were able to try the accused suspects, "and thus the trend to form an international tribunal."

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Meanwhile, the paper added, French President Jacques Chirac was expected to address the issue of Hariri's assassination Monday during a speech to French ambassadors. It said he will also urge Syria to restructure its relationship with Lebanon and to "change in a changing world because it is not in its interest to disappoint the world."

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